つめ
爪
　
で
ひろ
拾
　
っ
　
て
み
箕
　
で
こぼ
零
　
す

expression

Idiomatic expression.
  1. penny wise and pound foolish.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
つめ
爪
　
で
ひろ
拾
　
っ
　
て
み
箕
　
で
こぼ
零
　
す
 爪で拾って箕で零す つめでひろってみでこぼす

Contained Kanji Breakdown

claw, nail, talon
つめ　つま-　ソウ (11th)
pick up, gather, find
ひろ.う　シュウ (3rd, N2)
hand, hand radical (no. 64)
シュ
fit, suit, join
あ.う　あい-　ゴウ (2nd, N3)
to assemble. to gather together
シュウ　あつまる
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
winnowing
みの　キ　み (Kentei Pre-1)
bamboo
たけ　チク　たか (1st, N2)
individual(個) variant
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
that
キ　ゴ　それ (Kentei Pre-1)
sweet, coax, pamper
あま.い　カン　うま.い (7th, N2)
twenty
にじゅう　ジュウ　ニュウ (Kentei Pre-1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
zero, spill, overflow
レイ　こぼ.す　ぜろ (8th, N2)
rain
あめ　あま-　ウ (1st, N5)
orders, laws, command
レイ　りょう　のり (4th, N2)
to assemble. to gather together
シュウ　あつまる
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
seal radical (no. 26)
セツ　わりふ (Kentei 1)