expression
money speaks louder than words; yen bills over salutations
A jocular proverb playing on the shared さつ ending of 挨拶 (greeting) and 円札 (yen bill). Used to suggest that money is more persuasive than empty words.
「挨拶より円札」って、うまいこと言うね。
"Money speaks louder than words" — that's a clever saying, isn't it?
政治家に頼むなら、挨拶より円札だよ。
If you're asking a politician, money talks louder than greetings.
A humorous pun based on the similar endings of 挨拶 (aisatsu, greeting) and 円札 (ensatsu, yen bill), both ending in さつ. The exact origin is uncertain, but it plays on the idea that money is more effective than polite words.