すかんぴん

also: すっかんぴん

す

か

ん

ぴ

ん

Meanings

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective

penniless; broke; destitute

usually written using kana alone

Colloquial and slightly old-fashioned term for being completely without money. Often used in a self-deprecating or humorous way.

給きゅう料りょう日び前まえはいつもすかんぴんだ。
I'm always broke right before payday.
財さい布ふを落おとしてすかんぴんになった。
I lost my wallet and ended up penniless.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Kanji

素elementary, principle, naked
寒cold
貧poverty, poor

Related words

文もん無なし
文無し is a more literal term for having no money at all, while すかんぴん is more colloquial and carries a slightly humorous or self-mocking tone.
無む一いち文もん
無一文 is a straightforward, neutral expression for being completely broke, whereas すかんぴん is more informal and often used in casual speech.

Written forms

すかんぴんUsage6%
Standard kana spelling; the most common written form.
素す寒かん貧ぴんUsage76%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Ateji spelling; rarely used in modern writing. The word is usually written in kana.
スカンピンUsage18%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal contexts.

Etymology

The exact origin is uncertain. The kanji 素寒貧 are ateji, chosen for their sounds rather than their meanings. The word may have arisen as a colloquial expression in the Edo period.