Phrase guide

if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪf ˌjuː peɪ ˈpiːnʌts ˌjuː ɡɛt ˈmʌŋkiːz/
  • General-American: /ɪf ˌju peɪ ˈpiˌnʌts ˌjuː ɡɛt ˈmʌŋkiz/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

proverb

Meaning 1

Offering a low payment or salary will not attract skilled workers or employees.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

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

Antonyms: none provided

History

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.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: viiden markan suutari tekee kuuden markan vahingon — offering a low payment or salary will not attract skilled workers or employees
  • Greek: τον κώλο βάζεις μάγειρα, σκατά θα μαγειρέψει (ton kólo vázeis mágeira, skatá tha mageirépsei) — offering a low payment or salary will not attract skilled workers or employees