also: かりるときのじぞうがおなすときのえんまがお
people look friendly when borrowing but stern when repaying
Proverb comparing a borrower's gentle face to Jizō (Ksitigarbha) and a lender's stern face to Enma (Yama). Used to comment on how attitudes change when money is owed.
As the saying goes, 'a Jizō face when borrowing, an Enma face when repaying'—some people turn cold the moment you ask them to pay back.
Standard kanji form using 済す for 'repay'.
Search-only variant without comma.
Search-only variant without comma.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it draws on well-known Buddhist figures: Jizō (Ksitigarbha) with a merciful face, and Enma (Yama) with a wrathful face, to illustrate the change in demeanor between borrowing and repaying.