proverb · Words worth keeping
Hunger costs little; daintiness much.
Hunger costs little; daintiness much.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Satisfying a basic need may be simpler than satisfying elaborate preferences. Daintiness represents selectiveness or luxury beyond the need itself.
Example
A host simplifies an optional menu when its elaborate extras exceed the gathering’s available budget.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The contrast separates hunger from the particular dishes or comforts a person insists on having. The saying suggests that the extra expense can lie in the chosen standard rather than in the underlying need. It can be used to consider whether an elaborate requirement is essential or optional. Its claim that hunger costs little is too broad to apply to everyone: access, affordability and personal needs differ. The useful reading examines a specific preference without treating basic nourishment as universally cheap.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish an essential requirement from costly optional refinements.
Keep in mind
Basic needs are not always cheap, and necessary dietary requirements are not mere fussiness.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English