そろばんずく

also: そろばんづく

そ

ろ

ば

ん

ず

く

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

mercenary; calculative; greedy; commercial-minded

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person or attitude that is overly concerned with profit and loss, like an abacus (算盤) calculating every gain. Often used critically.

彼かれ

は

そろばんずく

で

、

友ゆう

情じょう

より

金かね

を

優ゆう

先せん

する

。

He is mercenary, prioritizing money over friendship.

そろばんずくな考かんがえ方かたでは、本ほん当とうの幸しあわせは得えられない。

You can't find true happiness with a calculative mindset.

Kanji

算calculate, divining, number
盤tray, shallow bowl, platter
尽exhaust, use up, run out of

Related words

打だ算さん的てき
打算的 is a more formal na-adjective meaning 'calculating' or 'self-interested', while そろばんずく is a colloquial noun/no-adjective with a vivid image of abacus-like profit-seeking.
金かねに汚きたない
金に汚い means 'money-grubbing' or 'stingy', focusing on greed for money itself, whereas そろばんずく emphasizes a cold, calculating attitude toward profit and loss.

Written forms

そろばんづく
Alternate kana spelling with rendaku voicing; less common than そろばんずく.
算盤そろばんずく
Kanji spelling; rarely used in modern writing.
算盤尽く
- そろばんずく
  Kanji spelling with 尽く; rarely used.
- そろばんづく
算盤そろばんづく
Kanji spelling with rendaku; rarely used.
算盤尽
irregular okurigana

Etymology

Compound of 算盤 (soroban, 'abacus') + 尽く (zuku, suffix meaning 'entirely' or 'devoted to'). Literally 'abacus-minded', implying a person who is always calculating gains and losses.

そろばんずく
Irregular okurigana kanji spelling; rarely used.
そろばんづく