also: きかかきょ
seize every golden opportunity; strike while the iron is hot; buy a rare item cheaply to sell later at a high profit
A yojijukugo originating from a Chinese historical anecdote. It conveys the idea of recognizing and capitalizing on a rare opportunity, often with a connotation of speculative profit. Used in proverbial or literary contexts.
With the spirit of seizing a golden opportunity, he snapped up quality stocks during the recession.
This old stamp is a rare find. If I buy it now, I might be able to sell it for a high price later.
A similar proverb meaning 'don't miss a good opportunity,' but without the speculative buying-and-selling nuance of 奇貨可居.
The direct Japanese equivalent of 'strike while the iron is hot,' focusing on timely action rather than the profit motive.
Standard yojijukugo spelling; the reading きかかきょ is the most common for this form.
The same kanji form read with the classical Japanese reading; very rare and mostly encountered in older texts.
Alternate kanji form that spells out the classical Japanese reading; rarely used in modern writing.
From a story in the Chinese historical text 'Records of the Grand Historian' (Shiji). The merchant Lü Buwei saw the potential in a prince living as a hostage and said '此奇貨可居' (this is a rare commodity worth hoarding), later helping him become king. The phrase entered Japanese as a yojijukugo.