ProverbWisdomAmerican origin1891

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning: Money is hard to earn and should be spent wisely.

Origin: A parent's reply to a child asking for something. The earliest clear example in print is from a North Carolina newspaper in 1891. It means money has to be earned and cannot simply be picked when wanted.

Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and Dutch

  • French: L'argent ne pousse pas sur les arbres (literally: Money doesn't grow on trees)
  • Spanish: El dinero no crece en los árboles (literally: Money doesn't grow on trees)
  • Japanese: 金のなる木はない (Kane no naru ki wa nai) (literally: There is no tree that grows money)
  • German: Das Geld liegt nicht auf der Straße (literally: Money doesn't lie in the street)
  • Dutch: Het geld groeit me niet op de rug (literally: Money doesn't grow on my back)

More proverbs about Wisdom

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

  • Bra Actually means 'good'. Det är bra = That's good.
  • Glass Actually means 'ice cream'. En glass = an ice cream. For a glass (vessel), say ett glas.
  • Semester Actually means 'holiday' or 'vacation'. A school semester is en termin.

Browse all false friends →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →