Learn these essential idioms about money for both spendthrifts and cheapskates this November 11 shopping festival
从“挥金如土”到“节衣缩食”只需要一个双十一？
Big hand and big foot 大手大脚
He has always been reckless with money; you can’t expect him to change in such a short time.
Tā huāqián yíxiàng dàshǒu dàjiǎo, nǐ bù néng zhǐwàng tā zhème kuài jiù gǎibiàn.
Stake a thousand pieces of gold on one throw 一掷千金
This term usually refers to impulsive consumption behavior. The character “掷” means “to lay a wager,” and generally refers to gambling with high stakes.
The Tang dynasty (618 – 907) poem “Song of Youth” by Wu Xiangzhi (吴象之) features a fearless but ignorant young man who “dares to stake a thousand taels of gold on one throw, and doesn’t even realize the poverty his family is already in (一掷千金浑是胆，家无四壁不知贫 yízhì qiānjīn hún shì dǎn, jiā wú sìbì bù zhī pín).” Nowadays, this chengyu is a neutral term for those who spend too much. For example:
Top football clubs often spend millions to buy star players.
Háomén qiúduì jīngcháng yízhì qiānjīn qù shōugòu míngxīng qiúyuán.
Throw money about like dirt 挥金如土
If you often 一掷千金, your spending habits could be summarized as “throwing money about like dirt.” Originating in the book Qidong Yeyu (《齐东野语》), a history text created by Zhou Mi (周密), a scholar in the Song dynasty (960 – 1279), this chengyu uses a metaphor to describe someone who squanders their money. For example:
He must be crazy to throw his money about like dirt.
Tā nàyàng huījīn rútǔ, yídìng shì fēng le.
However, a very similar expression, “视金钱如粪土 (shì jīnqián rú fèntǔ, to view money like dung),” is actually commendatory, meaning someone who is generous and not materialistic.
Eat food worth ten thousand coins every day 日食万钱
This idiom refers specifically to minted foodies who spend lavishly on sustenance. The phrase comes from the alleged eating habits of He Zeng (何曾), a chancellor of the Jin dynasty (265 – 420). According to the Book of Jin (《晋书》), an official historical text of the dynasty, His tastes were so expensive that the meals served at his home were more extravagant than those in the imperial palace. When he dined with the emperor, He went so far as to get food delivered from his own household.
He was also notoriously picky—apparently, the chancellor refused to eat steamed buns if they didn’t have a cross-shaped pattern on their surface. These eating habits meant that He apparently “spent ten thousand coins on food every day, but still said there was nothing worth laying his chopsticks on (食日万钱，犹曰无下箸处 rìshí wànqián, yóu yuē wú xiàzhù chù).” The chengyu thus means “to live in extreme luxury.”
Calculate carefully and budget strictly 精打细算
Of course, not everyone spends money recklessly, Singles Day or not. If someone tends to keep to a tight budget, they could be described as “精打细算,” meaning they “count every cent and make every cent count.” Since frugality is a traditional virtue in Chinese culture, this phrase is often viewed as a valuable piece of life wisdom, and something to aspire to.
If you had planned your budget carefully, you wouldn’t have got into debt.
Rúguǒ nǐ dǒngde jīngdǎ xìsuàn, jiù bú huì xiànrù zhàiwù.
Scrimp on food and clothing 节衣缩食
Save money on food and daily expenses 省吃俭用
After splurging out on November 11, many are forced into months of thrifty living and cutting back on food, clothing, and daily expenses. These two frequently-used chengyu have similar meanings and describe just such a thrifty lifestyle:
They scrimp on food and clothing, but still can’t afford to pay for their child’s education.
Tāmen jiéyī suōshí, dànshì háishì gōngbuqǐ háizi shàngxué.
He has lost his job, so he has to tighten his belt.
Tā diūle gōngzuò, suǒyǐ xiànzài bìxū shěngchī jiǎnyòng.
Cover image from VCG
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