有钱能使鬼推磨

有錢能使鬼推磨

yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuīmò

proverb

Meanings

1 lit. money can make a ghost turn the millstone
2 money talks; with money, anything can be done

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

有钱能使鬼推磨，他花了一大笔钱，事情很快就办成了。

Yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuīmò, tā huā le yí dà bǐ qián, shìqing hěnkuài jiù bànchéng le.

Money talks: he spent a large sum, and the matter was settled in no time.

HSK 7-9

都说有钱能使鬼推磨，可是钱并不是万能的。

Dōu shuō yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuīmò, kěshì qián bìng búshì wànnéng de.

They say money talks, but money can't do everything.

Tips

usage

磨 here is a millstone, read mò, not mó "to rub". The short form 鬼推磨 calls up the whole saying.

history

Goes back to a Jin-dynasty satire, "On the God of Money" by 鲁褒, which says money can command even ghosts, let alone people.

Stroke Order

有 yǒu

钱 qián

能 néng

使 shǐ

鬼 guǐ

推 tuī

磨 mó