年金

• 読み: ねんきん
• ローマ字: nenkin
• 漢字の分解: 年 (year) + 金 (money, gold) → annual pension; retirement fund
• 発音: /neɴ.kiɴ/

意味

The public pension system; retirement income from government and employer pension plans.

Few words stir as much anxiety in Japanese society as 年金. With Japan's rapidly aging population, young workers increasingly doubt they'll receive adequate pensions when they retire. '年金もらえるのかな' (Will I even get a pension?) is a common worry. The debate involves payment rates, eligibility age, sustainability, and generational fairness. 年金 is also used broadly for any frustration with the social security system.

例文

1. 年金だけで暮らしていける時代じゃないよね。
2. 年金もらえる年齢がまた引き上げられるかもって噂が怖い。
3. 年金払ってるけど、自分の老後にはもらえない気がしてならない。

使い方ガイド

場面: daily conversation, news, social media, politics

トーン: anxious, concerned

正しい言い方

• 年金だけじゃ足りないから自分でも備えないとね。 (The pension alone won't be enough, so we need to prepare on our own.)
• 年金の仕組みって複雑すぎて全然理解できない。 (The pension system is too complicated and I can't understand it at all.)

避ける言い方

• 「年金なんて払い損」と若者を煽るのは無責任 — telling young people that paying pension is a waste is irresponsible, as the system still provides essential coverage

よくある間違い

• Confusing 国民年金 (national pension for self-employed) with 厚生年金 (employee pension with employer contributions) — they are different tiers of the system

起源と歴史

From 年 (year) + 金 (money). Japan's public pension system was established in 1961 as a universal system. The term has become loaded with anxiety as demographic changes threaten the system's sustainability.

文化的背景

時代: System from 1961, anxiety-driven discussions intensifying from 2000s

世代: All ages — retirees depend on it, workers worry about its future

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. The sustainability of the pension system is one of Japan's most debated social issues, directly tied to the aging population crisis.