099Japanese proverb ことわざ
損して得取れ
そんしてとくとれSon shite toku tore
“Accept a loss to gain later.”
Word for wordLose, and take the profit.
The meaning
The immediate gain is not always the real gain. Consenting to a loss today — a goodwill gesture, a favor — builds the trust that pays tomorrow.
At the origin
A maxim of Edo merchants, heart of a long-term ethic of trade.
The characters
In practice
Make a generous gesture without computing the immediate return.