if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

English

WOTD – 2 April 2024

Etymology

A reference to peanuts (“especially of a salary: a very small or insufficient amount”) (originally US slang dating to the mid 20th century) and monkey (“a person of minimal intelligence, idiot”), with a humorous allusion to the fact that monkeys are fond of nuts.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪf ˌjuː peɪ ˈpiːnʌts ˌjuː ɡɛt ˈmʌŋkiːz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪf ˌju peɪ ˈpiˌnʌts ˌjuː ɡɛt ˈmʌŋkiz/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: if you pay pea‧nuts, you get monk‧eys

Proverb

if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

1. (British, informal) Offering a low payment or salary will not attract skilled workers or employees. [from mid 20th c.]

   Synonyms: good work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't good; if you pay bananas, you get monkeys

Translations

offering a low payment or salary will not attract skilled workers or employees

• Finnish: viiden markan suutari tekee kuuden markan vahingon
• Greek: αν βάζεις τον κώλο σου να σου κάνει δουλειά, σκατά δουλειά θα κάνει (el) (an vázeis ton kólo sou na sou kánei douleiá, skatá douleiá tha kánei, literally “if you put your ass to work for you, it will do shitty work”) (humorous, informal, vulgar), τον κώλο βάζεις μάγειρα, σκατά θα μαγειρέψει (el) (ton kólo vázeis mágeira, skatá tha mageirépsei) (humorous, informal, vulgar)
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

See also

• buy cheap, buy twice
• false economy
• you buy cheap, you get cheap
• you get what you pay for

Further reading

• “if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”, in Collins English Dictionary.