上うわ前まえをはねる

う

わ

ま

え

を

は

ね

る

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

take a cut; skim off the top; take a kickback

colloquial

Colloquial expression for taking a portion of money, often illicitly or as an unofficial commission. Literally 'to flick off the front/top portion'.

あの仲ちゅう介かい人にんは取とり引ひきの上うわ前まえをはねているらしい。
That middleman seems to be taking a cut from the deal.

政せい治じ家かが公こう共きょう事じ業ぎょうの上うわ前まえをはねていたことが発はっ覚かくした。

It came to light that the politician had been skimming off public works projects.

Written forms

上うわ前まえをはねる
Standard spelling using the common kanji 跳ねる or 撥ねる; はねる is often written in kana for this idiom.
上うわ前まえを撥はねる
Alternate kanji spelling; 撥ねる can imply a more forceful or dishonest 'skimming off' nuance.

Kanji

上above, up
前in front, before
撥brush up, reject, exclude

Similar words

ピンハネ
ピンハネ is a noun meaning the act of taking a cut or the cut itself, often used in similar contexts. 上前をはねる is the verbal phrase.
中なか抜ぬき
中抜き refers to cutting out the middleman or taking a margin, while 上前をはねる focuses on illicitly taking a share.

Etymology

From 上前 (うわまえ, 'the upper portion' or 'a percentage taken from the top') + を + はねる ('to flick off' or 'to skim'). The idiom evokes the image of skimming a portion off the top of a sum of money.