藁で束ねても男は男 わらでたばねてもおとこはおとこ Meanings Expression rich or poor, a man is a man (literally: a man whose hair is tied with straw is still a man) Kanji 藁 straw. Read as わら. 束 bundle. Read as たば. 男 man. Read as おとこ. Word lists Proverbs Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists