May
01
2010

貧乏揺すり

びんぼうゆすり [binbou yusuri] – “The poor man’s shake.” This word refers to tapping your foot or shaking your legs unconsciously while sitting, like a beggar would probably do in cold weather to try and keep warm.

In the Edo period, it was said that people who did this would be haunted by spirits of poverty (貧乏神).

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Posted under Vocabulary Bank by Nihonshock.

One Response


  • Excellent explanantion. The physical equivalent of playing with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern “worry beads” — except you are shaking your leg or tapping your foot.

    by: -, Nov 18th at 3:38 am