三さん文もん

noun, noun, used as a prefix

paltry sum; cheap; worthless

Used to describe something of very little monetary value or of low quality. Often appears in fixed expressions like 三文小説 (cheap novel) or 三文の値打ちもない (not worth a penny).

• そんな三さん文もん小しょう説せつを読よむ時じ間かんがもったいない。

  It's a waste of time to read such a cheap novel.

• 彼かれの提てい案あんは三さん文もんの価か値ちもない。

  His proposal isn't worth a penny.

noun

three one-mon coins

Original literal meaning: three coins of the smallest denomination (mon) in the Edo period. Now mainly encountered in historical contexts or when explaining the origin of the figurative sense.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だい、三さん文もんはわずかな金きん額がくだった。

  In the Edo period, three mon was a trifling amount of money.