expression, godan verb (-su)
make a fortune
Obsolete idiomatic expression literally meaning 'to light the stove', figuratively used for achieving financial success. No longer in modern use.
江戸時代の商人は、お竈を起こすことを夢見ていた。
Merchants in the Edo period dreamed of making a fortune.
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
Alternate kanji for おこす; less common but attested.
The phrase literally means 'to light the stove' (お竈を起こす), where 竈 (かま) is a traditional cooking stove. The figurative meaning of making a fortune likely derives from the idea of starting a prosperous household or business. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.