焼け跡の釘拾い

Japanese

Kanji in this term
焼	跡	釘	拾
や Grade: 4	あと Grade: S	くぎ Jinmeiyō	ひろ Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
燒け跡の釘拾い (kyūjitai)

Etymology

焼け跡 (“ruins of fire”) +‎ の +‎ 釘 (“nail”) +‎ 拾い (“to pick up”). Literally: to pick up nails after a fire.

Idiom

焼(や)け跡(あと)の釘(くぎ)拾(ひろ)い • (yakeato no kugihiroi) 

1. to try to save a little only to lose a lot; to spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar; to be penny wise and pound foolish