the poor have many children
Proverb noting that poorer families tend to have more children. Often used to comment on the relationship between poverty and family size, sometimes with a resigned or wry tone.
In the old days, they used to say, 'the poor have many children.'
貧乏人の子沢山で、彼の家はいつもにぎやかだった。
True to the saying 'the poor have many children,' his house was always lively.
Standard kanji spelling for this proverb.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; 子だくさん is a common way to write 'many children'.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects historical observations about family size and economic status.