Tsume ni Hi wo Tomosu (爪に火をともす - Scrimp and Scrape)

Yesterday, I introduced you to the Japanese proverb related to tsume (爪 - nail/claw), which has a good meaning.

Today I would like to talk about the proverb tsume ni hi wo tomosu (爪に火をともす), which has a bad meaning.

Since tsume means "nail," hi means "fire," tomosu means "to light/burn something," the literal meaning of this proverb is "to light one's nail on fire."

A person who ignites his/her nails (or oil contained in nail dirt) instead of oil or candles must be very stingy or extremely frugal.

Because of this, this proverb represents an act of a very stingy/frugal person.

However, even if you light your nails on fire, it will not be a substitute for a candle; furthermore, it will give off a terrible odor.

爪に火をともす

昨日は、爪を使った良い意味のことわざを紹介しました。

今日は、爪を使った悪い意味のことわざ「爪に火をともす」を紹介します。

「爪」は "nail," 「火」は "fire," 「ともす」は "to light/burn something" を意味するので、このことわざの文字通りの意味は "to light one's nail on fire" となります。

ろうそくや油を使わずに、爪（の垢の油）に火をともすような人は、非常にけちな人か極端な倹約家です。

このことから、このことわざは非常にけちな人、もしくは極端な倹約家の行動を表すものとなっています。

ただ、実際に爪を燃やしても、ひどい異臭がする上、ろうそくの代わりにはならないようです。