Proverb / Kotowaza
一文惜しみの百知らず
Being so stingy with a small amount of money that you end up suffering a much larger loss.
Stingy with one coin, ignorant of a hundred
Quick Answer
Being so stingy with a small amount of money that you end up suffering a much larger loss.
- Literal Image
- Stingy with one coin, ignorant of a hundred
- Closest Equivalent
- Penny wise and pound foolish
- How to Use It
- Used to describe situations where someone's attempt to save a tiny sum backfires, resulting in a far more costly outcome.
Meaning
This proverb warns against focusing on minor, immediate savings while remaining blind to the large-scale losses they may cause. It describes the foolishness of prioritizing small cost-cutting measures that eventually lead to significant failure or expensive consequences.
Literal Image
Stingy with one coin, ignorant of a hundred
Equivalent Proverbs
Penny wise and pound foolish
Matches both the lesson and the financial image of small versus large amounts.
How to Use It
Used to describe situations where someone's attempt to save a tiny sum backfires, resulting in a far more costly outcome.
Tone
Cautionary and critical of poor financial judgment.
Examples
安い材料を使ってコスト削減を図ったが、品質が落ちて客が離れた。まさに一文惜しみの百知らずだった。
I tried to cut costs by using cheap materials, but the quality dropped and customers left. It was exactly a case of being penny wise and pound foolish.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses historical currency terms like 'mon' and the classical negative 'shirazu' ending.
一文
いちもん / ichimon
one mon (small historical coin)
惜しみ
おしみ / oshimi
stinginess, begrudging
百
ひゃく / hyaku
one hundred (representing a large sum)
知らず
しらず / shirazu
not knowing, ignorant
Usage Profile
Usage note: Can sound critical if used to describe someone else's failure directly.
Misread Risk
The proverb refers to financial or resource mismanagement, not a lack of general knowledge or education.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Origin
The expression comes from the idea that someone who is stingy with 'one mon' (a tiny amount of money) does not realize that their actions will lead to a 'hundred mon' (a large amount) loss. It reflects the financial sensibilities of the Edo period and serves as a warning against being blinded by immediate, petty gains or savings.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
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.