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Yomi
はやいものがち
Rōmaji
hayai mono gachi
Type
idiom
Literal Meaning
people who come early win
Meaning
First come, first served
Synonym
先着順
Additional Info
It sounds slightly childish compared to its synonym, 先着順 (せんちゃくじゅん), meaning “first-arrive order”. Its near-antonym is a proverb 残り物には福がある, meaning “a fortune is in the remnants”; a similar concept to “good things come to those who wait”.
Example
チョコレート欲しい人はこっちにおいで！早い者勝ちだよ！
If you want chocolates, please come here! First come, first served!