Where does “爪に火を灯す” come from?
爪に火を灯す (Japanese) comes from Japanese 火, from Old Japanese 火, from Proto-Japonic poy, from Proto-Japonic po.
爪に火を灯す (Japanese): pinch pennies, live a stingy life
Definitions
- pinch pennies, live a stingy life
Ancestry of “爪に火を灯す”, step by step
爪に火を灯す traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 火
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 火 | "term relating to fire"; a light; a burning... |
| 2 | Old Japanese | 火 | a fire; a light |
| 3 | Proto-Japonic | poy | fire |
| 4 | Proto-Japonic | po | — |
via Japanese 爪
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 爪 | nail; claw |
via Japanese 灯す
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 灯す | to light (e.g. a fire) |