How do you use "Paid peanuts" in a sentence?

They expect quality work but pay peanuts. I was paid peanuts for that job. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

Paid peanuts

Q: What does "Paid peanuts" mean?

Paid a very small, inadequate amount Being paid so little it's almost insulting. Peanuts are cheap and small, so being paid peanuts means receiving minimal compensation.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Paid a very small, inadequate amount

报酬很少，少得可怜

Cobrar una cantidad muy pequeña e insuficiente

非常に少ない、不十分な金額を支払われる

아주 적은, 터무니없이 낮은 금액을 받다

Being paid so little it's almost insulting. Peanuts are cheap and small, so being paid peanuts means receiving minimal compensation.

工资低到几乎是一种侮辱。花生便宜又小，所以被付'花生'意味着只拿到最低限度的报酬。

Cobrar tan poco que resulta casi insultante. Los cacahuetes son baratos y pequeños, así que cobrar cacahuetes significa recibir una compensación mínima.

ほとんど侮辱的なほど少ない給料をもらうこと。ピーナッツは安くて小さいので、ピーナッツしかもらえないということは、最低限の報酬しか受け取れないということ。

거의 모욕적일 정도로 적은 돈을 받는 것. 땅콩은 싸고 작기 때문에, 'paid peanuts'은 아주 적은 보수를 받는다는 뜻이다.

Examples

They expect quality work but pay peanuts.
他们期望高质量的工作，却给的工资少得可怜
Esperan trabajo de calidad pero pagan una miseria
質の高い仕事を求めるくせに雀の涙しか払わない
질 높은 일을 요구하면서 쥐꼬리만큼 준다.
I was paid peanuts for that job.
那份工作我拿的工资少得可怜
Me pagaron una miseria por ese trabajo
あの仕事ではほんの少ししかもらえなかった
그 일에서 푼돈밖에 못 받았다.
You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
给的工资低，招来的人也差
Si pagas con cacahuetes, te llegan monos
安い賃金では質の低い人材しか集まらない
싼 값에 쓰면 그만한 인재밖에 안 온다.

Pronunciation

/peɪd ˈpiːnʌts/

Usage Guide

Context: wages, payment, unfair compensation

Tone: critical, resentful

✓ Do Say

Paid peanuts
工资少得可怜
Pagado una miseria
雀の涙の給料
쥐꼬리만큼 받았다
Pay peanuts, get monkeys
给香蕉就只能招到猴子
Paga cacahuetes, consigue monos
安かろう悪かろう
싼 값에 쓰면 그만큼의 결과를 얻는다

✗ Don't Say

Criticism of low pay
对低薪的批评
Crítica a los sueldos bajos
低賃金に対する批判
낮은 임금에 대한 비판

Common Mistakes

None—widely understood

Origin & History

From peanuts being cheap, small items. The proverb 'pay peanuts, get monkeys' (1960s) popularized the expression—if you pay very little, you get poor quality work.

Etymology: From peanuts being cheap

First recorded: Mid-20th century, 'pay peanuts, get monkeys' 1966

Cultural Context

Era: Mid-20th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Workplace discussions; Pay debates

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking world.

Variations

Paid peanutsPay peanuts, get monkeys