Where does “金持ち” come from?

金持ち (Japanese) comes from Japanese 金, from Middle Chinese 金.

金持ち (Japanese): a wealthy person

Definitions

  1. a wealthy person

Ancestry of “金持ち”, step by step

金持ち traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 金

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese金metal; money; firmness, strength
2Middle Chinese金—

via Japanese 持ち

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese持ちholding, possession; wear, durability;...
2Japanese持つto hold, to carry something; to have, to possess
Every word from Middle Chinese 金 →Every word from Japanese 金 →