Translation guide
A person who is careful with money and avoids waste. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases that emphasize different aspects of thriftiness, such as frugality, saving, or being economical.
Describing someone who is generally careful with money and avoids unnecessary spending.
A person who practices thrift and economy. This is a standard, neutral term for someone who is careful with money.
彼は倹約家で、無駄遣いをしない。
He is a thrifty person and doesn't waste money.
Similar to 倹約家, but often implies actively saving or cutting back on expenses. Commonly used in everyday conversation.
母は節約家で、いつも特売品を買っている。
My mother is a thrifty person and always buys items on sale.
Literally 'meticulous about money.' Describes someone who is careful with even small amounts, sometimes with a nuance of being stingy.
彼女はお金に細かいから、割り勘のときは1円単位で計算する。
She is so thrifty that she calculates to the exact yen when splitting the bill.
A person who is good at managing household finances and avoiding waste. Slightly old-fashioned and often used for homemakers.
祖母は始末屋で、物を大切に使う。
My grandmother is a thrifty person who takes good care of her belongings.
Focusing on the act of saving money, often for a specific goal or out of habit.
Literally 'good at saving money.' A positive, colloquial way to describe someone who is skilled at building savings.
彼は貯金上手で、もう家を買う頭金が貯まった。
He is good at saving money and has already saved enough for a down payment on a house.
A person who accumulates wealth through saving. Formal and somewhat literary; implies a long-term, strategic approach.
彼は若い頃から蓄財家として知られていた。
He was known as a thrifty person who accumulated wealth from a young age.
Describing someone who is excessively thrifty to the point of being cheap or miserly. Use with caution as these terms are negative.
A common, informal word for a stingy person. Can be used as a noun or adjective. Often carries a negative connotation.
Avoid using this to describe someone directly unless you intend to be critical.
あの人はけちだから、絶対におごってくれない。
That person is so stingy, they would never treat you.
A miser; a money-grubber. Strongly negative and literary. Implies an obsession with hoarding money.
Both mean 'thrifty person,' but 倹約家 emphasizes a lifestyle of avoiding waste, while 節約家 focuses on actively cutting costs and saving. 節約家 is more common in daily speech.
Directly translating 'thrifty person' as 倹約な人 is unnatural. Use established nouns like 倹約家 or descriptive phrases like お金に細かい.
He hoards money like a miser.