Translation and Meaning of: 貯金 - chokin

If you are learning Japanese or are curious about the country's culture, you may have come across the word 貯金 (ちょきん, chokin). It is often used in everyday life and in financial contexts, but its meaning goes beyond a simple translation. In this article, we will explore what this word represents, how it originated, and how the Japanese use it in their daily lives. Additionally, we will see tips for memorizing it and its role in Japanese society.

The meaning and origin of 貯金

Savings (chokin) literally means "to save money" or "savings." The word is composed of two kanji: 貯 (to store, to accumulate) and 金 (money, gold). Its origin dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868), when the concept of savings began to gain popularity in Japan, especially among merchants and farmers who needed to save resources for difficult times.

Today, 貯金 is widely used to refer both to the act of saving and to the money saved. Unlike the term 節約 (setsuyaku), which means "to economize" in the sense of cutting expenses, 貯金 has a more active connotation, related to the accumulation of resources for the future.

How Japanese people use 貯金 in their daily lives.

In Japan, the culture of saving money is highly valued, and 貯金 is a common word in conversations about personal finance. Phrases like "毎月貯金しています" (maitsuki chokin shiteimasu – "I save money every month") are frequent, especially among young people planning to buy a car or a house.

Moreover, the term appears in institutional contexts, such as in banks and postal services, where Japanese people often open savings accounts called 貯金口座 (chokin kōza). The Japan Post Bank, for example, is one of the institutions most associated with this type of service, reinforcing the importance of the word in the financial life of the country.

Tips for memorizing and curiosities about 貯金

An effective way to remember the meaning of 貯金 is to associate the kanji 金 (kin) with "money" and 貯 (cho) with "save." Together, they form the idea of "saving money." Another tip is to practice with simple sentences, such as "貯金が足りない" (chokin ga tarinai – "I don't have enough savings").

Interestingly, Japan has one of the highest savings rates in the world, and many citizens learn from an early age the importance of saving money (貯金). This habit is so ingrained that even children receive piggy banks (貯金箱, chokinbako) to store coins, reinforcing the savings mentality from childhood.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 貯蓄 (Chokkin) - Economy, savings (general)
• 貯める (Tameru) - Accumulate, save
• 貯め (Tame) - Accumulation, reserve
• 貯える (Taoeru) - Guardar, armazenar
• 節約する (Setsuyaku suru) - Save, reduce expenses
• 節約 (Setsuyaku) - Economy, cost-cutting
• 貯蓄する (Chokkin suru) - Save money, save
• 貯蔵する (Chozō suru) - Store, keep
• 貯蔵 (Chozō) - Storage, reserve
• 貯金する (Chokin suru) - Save, deposit
• 蓄える (Takaeru) - Accumulate, save (save in a fixed way)
• 蓄え (Takae) - Reserve, accumulation
• 蓄財する (Chikuzai suru) - To amass fortune, to accumulate wealth
• 蓄財 (Chikuzai) - Accumulation of wealth
• 貯蓄額 (Chokkin gaku) - Amount saved
• 貯金額 (Chokin gaku) - Amount deposited
• 貯蓄金 (Chokkin kin) - Saved capital
• 貯金箱 (Chokinbako) - Coffer, savings box
• 貯金習慣 (Chokin shūkan) - Savings habit
• 貯金生活 (Chokin seikatsu) - Savings life
• 貯金目標 (Chokin mokuhyō) - Savings objective
• 貯金術 (Chokin jutsu) - Savings techniques
• 貯金方法 (Chokin hōhō) - Savings methods
• 貯金計画 (Chokin keikaku) - Savings plan
• 貯金力 (Chokin ryoku) - Savings power
• 貯金習慣化 (Chokin shūkan ka) - Establishment of saving habits
• 貯金意識 (Chokin ishiki) - Savings awareness
• 貯金目的 (Chokin mokuteki) - Savings objective

貯金

Romaji: chokin
Kana: ちょきん
Type: Noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: (banco) economy

Meaning in English: (bank) savings

Definition: save money.

Example Sentences - (貯金) chokin

See below some example sentences:

私は毎月貯金をしています。

Watashi wa maitsuki chokin o shiteimasu

I save money every month.

I save every month.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 毎月 (maitsuki) - Japanese adverb meaning "every month"
• 貯金 (chokin) - 日本語の名詞で「貯金」を意味します。
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• しています (shiteimasu) - Japanese verb that means "I am doing" (polite form)

私は貯金からお金を引き出す必要があります。

Watashi wa chokin kara okane o hikidasu hitsuyō ga arimasu

I need to withdraw money from my savings.

I need to withdraw money from the economy.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 貯金 (chokin) - 日本語の名詞で「貯金」を意味します。
• から (kara) - Japanese particle that means "of"
• お金 (okane) - Japanese noun that means "money"
• を (wo) - Japanese particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 引き出す (hikidasu) - Japanese verb that means "to withdraw."
• 必要 (hitsuyou) - Japanese adjective meaning "necessary"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• あります (arimasu) - Japanese verb that means "to exist"