making spectacles out of copper coins: seeing only money, not people
Saying俗语俗語
Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now
Meaning
Mocks a snobbish person who cares only about money and not about people or relationships.
Wordplay
认钱不认人 (rèn qián bù rèn rén) literally means 'recognise the coin, not the person', as the coin lenses would show only money; figuratively it means valuing money over people.