Proverb / Kotowaza
下戸の建てた蔵はない
Choosing not to drink alcohol does not necessarily lead to saving more money.
There is no storehouse built by a non-drinker.
Quick Answer
Choosing not to drink alcohol does not necessarily lead to saving more money.
- Literal Image
- There is no storehouse built by a non-drinker.
- Closest Equivalent
- Money saved in one place is spent in another.
- How to Use It
- Used to point out that saving money in one area leads to spending it elsewhere, or to explain why someone who doesn't drink still hasn't saved much money.
Meaning
This proverb suggests that even if someone saves money by avoiding alcohol, they end up spending those savings on other luxuries or hobbies. In the end, avoiding one specific expense does not guarantee that a person will build significant wealth, as money tends to find other ways to be spent.
Literal Image
There is no storehouse built by a non-drinker.
Equivalent Proverbs
Money saved in one place is spent in another.
Reflects the idea of shifting expenses rather than total savings.
How to Use It
Used to point out that saving money in one area leads to spending it elsewhere, or to explain why someone who doesn't drink still hasn't saved much money.
Tone
A slightly ironic or cynical observation about spending habits and human nature.
Examples
下戸の建てた蔵はないというから、酒を飲まないだけで贅沢は変わらないのであれば、節約にはならない。
They say no non-drinker ever built a storehouse; if you don't drink but still live just as lavishly in other ways, you aren't really saving.
彼はお酒を一滴も飲まないが、スイーツにお金をかけてしまう。まさに下戸の建てた蔵はないだ。
He doesn't drink a single drop of alcohol, but he spends a lot on sweets. It is truly a case of 'no non-drinker ever built a storehouse'.
下戸の建てた蔵はないといわれるように、節酒したからといって必ずしも貯金が増えるとは限らない。
As the saying goes, cutting back on alcohol doesn't necessarily mean your savings will increase.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses specific vocabulary like 'geko' and 'kura' which require idiomatic context beyond basic dictionary definitions.
下戸
げこ / geko
non-drinker
建てた
たてた / tateta
built
蔵
くら / kura
storehouse (symbol of wealth)
Usage Profile
Usage note: Can sound cynical when used to comment on someone's lack of savings.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'kura' (storehouse) literally as a building; it represents accumulated wealth or assets.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
The term '下戸' (geko) refers to someone who cannot drink alcohol, while '蔵' (kura, storehouse) is a traditional symbol of fortune and assets. While it might seem that those who do not spend money on liquor would build wealth, the proverb captures the ironic reality that such people spend their money on other things instead, reflecting a truth about human nature and the desire to spend.
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