How to Read “Merchants live by losses and cost prices”
Akindo wa son to genka de kurasu
Meaning of “Merchants live by losses and cost prices”
This proverb shows a funny truth about merchants. They always say “I’m losing money” or “I’m selling at cost price.” But in reality, they’re making good profits and getting rich.
When merchants tell customers they’re losing money, it’s a business trick. It’s a way to show humility. It also means “I can’t give you a discount.”
But behind these words, merchants are steadily building wealth. Before you know it, they’ve built big warehouses full of goods. The proverb points out this gap between what they say and what’s really happening.
Even today, business people say “I can’t go lower” or “I’m barely making anything.” But they’re actually making proper profits. Nothing has changed.
This saying teaches us an important lesson. Don’t take a merchant’s words at face value. Look at the real situation instead.
The proverb uses humor to show the truth hidden behind a merchant’s humble complaints. It’s a clever way to describe how business really works.
Origin and Etymology
We don’t know exactly when this proverb first appeared in writing. But it likely came from merchant culture during the Edo period (1603-1868).
The structure is interesting. It puts two words together: “loss” and “cost price.” Both suggest no profit.
Merchants saying “I’m losing money” or “This is cost price” was common in Edo markets. You still hear it in shopping streets today. The scene hasn’t changed.
The proverb sounds like a merchant’s complaint at first. But it actually points out a sharp truth about business. That’s what makes it clever.
“Living by cost prices” means making no profit. But merchants actually made money in many ways. They negotiated better deals, bought in bulk, and sold items quickly.
Edo period merchants acted humble on the outside. But they steadily built their fortunes with smart strategies.
This proverb shows how sharp ordinary people were. They noticed the truth: “Merchants cry about losses, but somehow they build fancy warehouses.”
The saying captures the gap between what merchants said and their actual business success. It mixes irony with friendliness. It’s packed with everyday wisdom from common people.
Interesting Facts
Edo period merchants valued a concept called “shimatsu.” This wasn’t just about saving money. It was a business philosophy about running things efficiently without waste.
They acted simple on the outside. But inside, they carefully calculated every profit. This matches the merchant image in our proverb perfectly.
There’s another proverb: “Son shite toku tore” (Take a loss to gain profit). It’s quite different from “Merchants live by losses and cost prices.”
“Take a loss to gain profit” recommends accepting temporary losses as strategy. But our proverb points out that merchants claim losses while not actually losing money.
Both proverbs use the word “loss.” But they show completely opposite viewpoints. It’s fascinating that these two different sayings exist side by side.
Usage Examples
- That shop owner always complains about losses. But “Merchants live by losses and cost prices,” so he’s probably making good money.
- The vegetable seller near the station says he sells at cost price. But he just bought a new car. It’s exactly “Merchants live by losses and cost prices.”
Universal Wisdom
This proverb shows a universal human wisdom: balancing humility with practical profit. When merchants say “I’m losing money,” they’re not exactly lying.
It’s actually a social manner for continuing business. It’s a communication skill for keeping good relationships with customers.
Everyone avoids bragging openly about success or profits. It’s self-defense against jealousy and resentment. It’s also wisdom for keeping harmony in society.
Merchants saying “business is bad” while actually doing well shows this human psychology perfectly. It’s how people really think and act.
This proverb has survived for centuries. That’s not because it criticizes merchants. It’s because it brilliantly captures the delicate relationship between “public face” and “true feelings” in human society.
Outward humility and inner success aren’t contradictions. They’re actually two wheels that make society run smoothly together.
Our ancestors teach us through these words. Don’t just believe what people say. Develop eyes that see the reality behind the words.
At the same time, they show us something else. Humility is a virtue. But it’s also practical wisdom for survival.
When AI Hears This
From a physics view, merchants creating profit is an amazing challenge. The entire universe constantly moves toward entropy. That means increasing disorder.
If you leave a room alone, it gets messy. Ice melts into water. That’s nature’s direction.
But merchants do something different. They organize products, gather information, and build customer relationships. They create economic order.
Here’s the important law: reducing entropy (creating order) always costs something. A refrigerator keeps food fresh (maintains order) but needs electricity.
Similarly, merchants must pay entropy costs to create profit (order). Inventory deteriorates. Items don’t sell. Deals fail. These are unavoidable thermodynamic costs.
Information theory makes this even more interesting. Merchants work in high-entropy market uncertainty. They gather information to improve predictions. But perfect information is impossible.
This information incompleteness appears as “losses.” Living by cost prices means zero profit. It’s a tie in the battle against entropy.
Business is an act of temporarily creating order against universal laws. Accepting losses is the price merchants pay for this fight.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches you to distinguish between people’s words and reality. In business and daily life, don’t just swallow what others say.
Make it a habit to understand the background and context. This skill is crucial.
The proverb also makes you think about your own behavior. Don’t show off success or profits too much. Staying humble is essential for building long-term trust.
This wisdom shines especially today. Social media makes us want to loudly advertise our achievements. But acting modestly is actually smarter.
However, humility and dishonesty are separated by a thin line. The key is balance. Share appropriate information while maintaining a humble attitude.
In business and relationships, don’t deceive others. Respect others while protecting your own interests. This mature approach is what matters.
This proverb teaches two things. First, develop eyes that see through surface words to find truth. Second, live with appropriate humility yourself.
It’s a timeless life guide. Its wisdom hasn’t faded even today.
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