濡れ手で粟

Japanese

Kanji in this term
濡	手	粟
ぬ Jinmeiyō	て Grade: 1	あわ Jinmeiyō

Etymology

Idiom formed by combination of 濡れ手 and 粟. Literally "millet with wet hands". Foxtail millet sticks to wet hands, so this idiom describes reward without effort.^[1]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ぬれてであわ [nùré té dé áꜜwà] (Nakadaka – [5])^[2]
IPA^(key): [nɯ̟ɾe̞ te̞ de̞ a̠β̞a̠]

Idiom

濡(ぬ)れ手(て)で粟(あわ) • (nure te de awa)

easy profit, raking in the money

References

^ Edward Trimnell (2004) Tigers, Devils, and Fools: A Guide to Japanese Proverbs‎^[1], Beechmont Crest Publishing, →ISBN, page 111
^ Hirayama, Teruo, editor (1960), 全国アクセント辞典 (Zenkoku Akusento Jiten, “Nationwide Accent Dictionary”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Tōkyōdō, →ISBN

[Trimnell2004-1] Edward Trimnell (2004) Tigers, Devils, and Fools: A Guide to Japanese Proverbs‎^[1], Beechmont Crest Publishing, →ISBN, page 111

[ZAJ-2] Hirayama, Teruo, editor (1960), 全国アクセント辞典 (Zenkoku Akusento Jiten, “Nationwide Accent Dictionary”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Tōkyōdō, →ISBN

[1]

[2]