2018-08-28 23:11 (2279 days ago)
二束三文 にそくさんもん This is a wonderful expression that requires a bit of a history lesson. Today the currency of Japan is yen. One yen is the smallest coin currently used in Japan. However, occasionally, you will see prices quoted in yen and there will be numbers to the right of the decimal point. For example, in foreign exchange rates, the US dollar may be worth exactly 110.45 yen. In this case, the dollar is not the equivalent of 110 yen it is worth fractionally more at 110.45. So what is the point 45 (.45) called? The amount 110.45 would be read as "hyaku juu en yonjuu go sen." A mon is another unit of currency used in Japan before the modern era. It had very little value. So the expression "ni soku san mon" means what? ni soku = two bunches (of something). For example, two handfuls of of flowers or some food. san mon = 3 mon, or money that is worth very, very little. So, all together, ni soku san mon is an old expression for saying the equivalent of "dirt cheap" in English.