Proverb / Kotowaza
馬鹿を笑うも貧乏を笑うな
While mocking a foolish person might be overlooked, one must never mock those who are in poverty.
You may laugh at a fool, but do not laugh at the poor
Quick Answer
While mocking a foolish person might be overlooked, one must never mock those who are in poverty.
- Literal Image
- You may laugh at a fool, but do not laugh at the poor
- How to Use It
- Used to warn or criticize someone for making light of another person's economic struggles or difficult living conditions.
Meaning
This proverb teaches that poverty is the result of social environment or fate rather than a lack of personal effort. Because financial hardship can strike anyone regardless of their will, mocking someone's poverty is considered a heartless act that lacks character.
Literal Image
You may laugh at a fool, but do not laugh at the poor
How to Use It
Used to warn or criticize someone for making light of another person's economic struggles or difficult living conditions.
Tone
Moralizing and cautionary.
Examples
生活に困っている人を見て笑う者がいたが、馬鹿を笑うも貧乏を笑うなという。誰でもいつ困窮するかわからないのだから。
Some were laughing at those struggling to make ends meet, but as the saying goes, 'you may laugh at a fool, but do not laugh at the poor.' Anyone could find themselves in need at any time.
同僚の経済的な苦境をからかうような発言は慎むべきだ。馬鹿を笑うも貧乏を笑うなというではないか。
You should refrain from making fun of a colleague's financial difficulties. Doesn't the proverb say, 'laugh at a fool, but not at the poor'?
馬鹿を笑うも貧乏を笑うなという言葉があるように、人の境遇を笑うことは品性を下げる行為だ。
As the saying 'laugh at a fool but not at the poor' suggests, mocking someone's circumstances is an act that diminishes one's own character.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
While the individual words are simple, the prohibitive structure and the moral nuance of comparing two types of mockery require a higher level of comprehension.
馬鹿
ばか / baka
fool / foolish
笑う
わらう / warau
to laugh / mock
貧乏
びんぼう / binbo
poverty / poor
笑うな
わらうな / warauna
do not laugh (prohibitive)
Usage Profile
Usage note: The phrase includes 'baka' (fool), which can be offensive if used carelessly, though here it is used to emphasize a moral point.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this as an endorsement to laugh at fools; the comparison is used to highlight that mocking poverty is an even greater moral failing.
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Origin
This proverb stems from the belief that poverty is a result of external circumstances, social environment, or fate rather than personal effort alone. While 'foolishness' might be seen as self-inflicted (jigojitoku), poverty is viewed as something that can happen to anyone, making mockery of it a particularly heartless and dishonorable act.
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Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.