乌舅金奴 — “This idiom satirizes someone who is extremely parsimonious or stingy”

乌舅金奴 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “this idiom satirizes someone who is extremely parsimonious or stingy”. Often by using cheap or rudimentary items, akin to using basic tallow tree oil lamps.

Frequency

乌舅金奴 Pronunciation and Pinyin

乌舅金奴 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
乌	wū	4	crow, black, nothing, alas
舅	jiù	13	maternal uncle
金	jīn	8	gold, metal, money
奴	nú	5	slave, enslave, exploit

Example Sentence with 乌舅金奴

尽管他家境优渥，却总是斤斤计较，连日常开销都抠门到极致，活脱脱一个乌舅金奴

Although he came from a wealthy family, he was always calculating every penny, scrimping on daily expenses to the extreme, truly embodying a "wujiu jinnu."

Origin and Story of 乌舅金奴

Jiangnan Liezu (Emperor Liezu of Southern Tang Dynasty) was known for his extreme frugality. In his bedchamber, he did not use expensive tallow candles, but instead opted for simple "wujiu lamps," which burned tallow tree seed oil.

On his table, there was a five-foot-tall iron figure holding a candle, a piece that had been used in the stables during the Yang clan's era.

One evening, as dusk settled and light was needed, Liezu instructed his attendant to bring this iron figure, which he affectionately called "Jinnu" (Golden Servant). The attendant, sharing a knowing glance with others, secretly murmured, "Wujiu and Jinnu (the cheap oil lamp and the simple lamp stand) truly make a perfect, fitting pair." This subtly poked fun at the emperor's extreme parsimony.