けち
kechi
The Japanese word for 'cheapskate' is けち (kechi).
けち refers to someone who does not give freely. You may also encounter the related term けちくさい, which implies that someone's stinginess is unpleasant or off-putting.
Meaning: someone who doesn't give freely (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective to describe a person or their behavior, the form けち takes the particle な, forming けちな.
How do you pronounce it?
kechi
Did you know?
- The word けち actually began as a way to describe a 'shabby' or 'lowborn' person during the Edo period. It later evolved to describe the personality trait of being stingy rather than a person's social status.
- Because けち has roots in describing 'unfortunate events' or 'strange occurrences' in older Japanese, the word carries a subtle sense of something being 'wrong' or 'unseemly' beyond just money.
- In Japanese, being a 'cheapskate' is often viewed through the lens of failing to follow social harmony. A person who is too けち is seen as disrupting the flow of group generosity.
Examples in context
- トムって、けちんぼだよ。Tom is a cheapskate.This sentence is useful for seeing how to call someone a cheapskate using けち.Tatoeba #11594115 by bunbuku, translation #10503850 by CK
- 田中さんって、いつも割り勘にするの。超 ケチンボ ！Tanaka always splits the bill. He's a total cheapskate!
- 彼は本当にけちだ。Kare wa hontō ni kechi da.He is really a cheapskate.
- あんなにけちな人は初めて見た。Anna ni kechi na hito wa hajimete mita.I have never seen such a cheapskate before.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking about splitting a bill.
- 蓮 Renここは僕が払うよ。Koko wa boku ga harau yo.I'll pay here.
- 美咲 Misakiえっ、本当に？優しいね！E', hontō ni? Yasashii ne!What, really? You're so kind!
- 蓮 Renけちだと思われたくないしね。Kechi da to omowaretakunai shi ne.I don't want to be thought of as a cheapskate.
- 美咲 Misakiそんなことないよ、蓮くんは。Sonna koto nai yo, Ren-kun wa.That's not true about you, Ren.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries けち, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
