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間尺に合わない (ましゃくにあわない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

間ま尺しゃくに合あわない

ま

しゃ

く

に

あ

わ

な

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

not worth it; doesn't pay

Used when the effort, cost, or trouble is not justified by the result. Often appears in negative form as a set phrase.

こんなに安やすい給きゅう料りょうでは間ま尺しゃくに合あわない。
It's not worth it for such a low salary.
リスクが大おおきすぎて、その仕し事ごとは間ま尺しゃくに

合あ

わ

ない

。

The risk is too great; that job doesn't pay.

Kanji

間interval, space
尺shaku, Japanese foot, measure
合fit, suit, join

Similar words

割わりに合あわない
Similar meaning, but 間尺に合わない is more emphatic and often implies a mismatch between effort and reward, while 割に合わない is a broader expression for something not being worth the cost or trouble.

Etymology

The phrase originates from the term 間尺 (ましゃく), which historically referred to measurements or proportions in carpentry and construction. Over time, it came to figuratively mean 'balance' or 'proportionality,' and the negative form 間尺に合わない expresses that something does not measure up or is not worth the effort.