money speaks louder than words; yen bills over salutations
A jocular proverb playing on the shared さつ ending of 挨拶 (greeting) and 円札 (yen bill). Used to suggest that money is more persuasive than empty words.
"Money speaks louder than words" — that's a clever saying, isn't it?
If you're asking a politician, money talks louder than greetings.
Means greeting or salutation; the first part of the pun.
Means yen bill; the second part of the pun, contrasting with 挨拶.
A humorous pun based on the similar endings of 挨拶 (aisatsu, greeting) and 円札 (ensatsu, yen bill), both ending in さつ. The exact origin is uncertain, but it plays on the idea that money is more effective than polite words.