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骨惜しみ (ほねおしみ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
sparing oneself ; laziness ; shirking effort
Refers to avoiding hard work or effort; often used in negative contexts to criticize someone for not trying hard enough. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'to be lazy' or 'to spare oneself'.
骨ほね 惜お しみ せ ず に 、 最さい 後ご まで 頑がん 張ば ろう 。
Let's keep at it to the end without shirking.
Kanji 惜 pity, be sparing of, frugal Similar words 怠なま ける 怠ける is a more general verb for 'to be lazy' or 'to neglect', while 骨惜しみ emphasizes avoiding physical or mental effort specifically.
手て 抜ぬ き 手抜き means cutting corners or doing a sloppy job, often with a negative nuance, whereas 骨惜しみ focuses on the unwillingness to exert effort.
Etymology Compound of 骨 (bone, effort) and 惜しみ (sparing, begrudging), from the verb 惜しむ (to begrudge, to spare). Literally 'sparing one's bones', i.e., avoiding hard work.
