How to Read “No rent comes out of the mouth”
kuchi ni chidai wa denai
Meaning of “No rent comes out of the mouth”
“No rent comes out of the mouth” means that words alone don’t generate real profit like land rent does. No matter how impressive your words sound or how wonderful your plans are, they produce no actual benefit by themselves. This is a warning about empty talk.
This proverb is used for people who talk without taking action. People who only give opinions in meetings but never execute. People who describe plans but never lift a finger. People who make grand promises but deliver no results.
It reminds us that actual results matter most.
The essence of this proverb remains true today. Posting on social media doesn’t generate income. Talking about business plans doesn’t create profit. Only through actual action and creating concrete value can you gain real benefits.
This proverb teaches us the importance of balancing words with action, and ideals with reality.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, the structure of the phrase reveals an interesting background.
“Chidai” means rent paid for borrowing land. In the Edo period, this was a crucial fixed cost for merchants and craftsmen. You needed to pay rent to run a shop. If you couldn’t pay, you couldn’t continue your business.
Rent symbolized the practical value that supported life’s foundation.
“Mouth” refers to words or mere talk. The contrast here is striking. No matter how impressive your words or how detailed your business plans, they don’t help pay the very real rent by even a single coin.
Our ancestors expressed this harsh reality in simple terms.
In Edo period merchant society, trust mattered most. But generating actual profit was equally important. Business couldn’t survive on verbal promises alone. Without concrete action and results, you couldn’t even pay your shop’s rent and would be forced to close.
This proverb likely emerged from such merchant experiences. It contains the universal theme of contrasting words with practical benefits.
Usage Examples
- He talks passionately about startup ideas, but no rent comes out of the mouth, so he needs to actually start moving
- Your sales talk is smooth, but if you can’t close contracts, remember that no rent comes out of the mouth
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “No rent comes out of the mouth” contains a fundamental truth about human society. That truth is the deep gap between words and actions.
Humans are creatures who manipulate language. We use words to organize thoughts, communicate with others, and envision the future. But precisely because of this ability, we face the danger of being satisfied with words alone.
We talk about plans and feel as if we’ve already achieved them. We make promises and feel we’ve already fulfilled our obligations. This is a human weakness that transcends time.
Meanwhile, the real world doesn’t move through words. Just as rent requires concrete payment, creating actual value demands action. You must sweat, spend time, and move forward through repeated failures.
Without this steady process, nothing is gained.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because humans in every era are easily seduced by the magic of words. Speaking about ideals feels comfortable. Taking action is difficult.
That’s why our ancestors continued to sound this alarm with these simple words. They wanted to convey the unchanging truth that words are merely a starting point, and true value is born from action.
When AI Hears This
The universe has an absolute law: “If left alone, things always become disordered.” This is the second law of thermodynamics. For example, rooms get messy without cleaning, buildings collapse without repairs, and living things die without food energy.
Maintaining order always requires energy input.
What’s interesting about this proverb is that human economic systems actually follow this physical law. Land and property lose value if neglected. Buildings deteriorate, farmland becomes wild, and unmanaged assets naturally “increase in entropy” toward disorder.
Income from rent exists because someone invested energy in the past to create order, and continues maintaining it in the present.
“No rent comes out of the mouth” appears to criticize earning income without doing anything. But physically speaking, it expresses the universal truth that “order cannot be maintained without energy input.” The idea of earning income without working is an attempt to defy the law of entropy increase.
It will inevitably fail in the long term.
The fact that economic principles and physical laws share the same structure is fascinating evidence that human society is part of the universe.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of transforming words into action.
In modern society, information overflows. We read business books, attend seminars, and gain knowledge from social media. Learning has become easy. But are you satisfied just by gaining knowledge? Do you feel accomplished just by making plans?
This proverb speaks to us gently yet firmly. What matters is taking the first step. Better to actually start moving, even imperfectly, than to have a perfect plan.
If you want to start something now, take a small but concrete action. Want to write a blog? Write one article. Want to exercise? Walk for ten minutes. Want to improve relationships? Send one message.
That small action will eventually bear great fruit.
Words are seeds. But seeds won’t sprout unless you plant them in soil, water them, and care for them daily. Why not plant your words in the soil of action today?
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