火(ひ)の車(くるま)

ひのくるま
noun
dire financial straits; desperate money trouble
idiommoney
1. dire financial straits; desperate money trouble
A household or organization whose finances are so strained that it can barely meet its obligations. Nearly always used in the pattern 家計(かけい)は火(ひ)の車(くるま)だ.
うちの家計(かけい)は火(ひ)の車(くるま)だ。
Our household finances are in dire straits.
売上(うりあげ)が落(お)ちて、会社(かいしゃ)は火(ひ)の車(くるま)になった。
Sales fell and the company ended up in serious financial trouble.
外(そと)からは立派(りっぱ)に見(み)えるが、内情(ないじょう)は火(ひ)の車(くるま)で、給料(きゅうりょう)の支払(しはら)いも遅(おく)れている。
It looks impressive from outside, but internally the finances are desperate and even salaries are being paid late.

Etymology

From 火車(かしゃ), the blazing cart of Buddhist hell said to carry sinners away — hence a state of torment, narrowed in modern use to financial torment.

Common collocations

Usage

Restricted to money. A schedule or workload that is desperately tight is not 火(ひ)の車(くるま) but 火(ひ)の回(まわ)りが早(はや)い or simply 大変(たいへん).

general
Added 2026.8.13 9:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
30500/30609_hinokuruma