代償

• Reading: だいしょう
• Romaji: daishou
• Kanji breakdown: 代 (dai) — substitute, in place of | 償 (sho) — to compensate, repay
• Pronunciation: /da.i.ɕo.ː/

Meaning

Compensation; price; cost; sacrifice. The thing given up or paid in exchange for something gained.

A noun used to describe the cost or sacrifice associated with an achievement, decision, or wrongdoing. Often carries a negative connotation — the price paid is typically burdensome. The phrase 代償を払う (to pay the price) and 代償として (in exchange for, as the cost of) are very common collocations. Distinct from 補償 (compensation for loss), which has a more restitutive nuance.

Examples

1. 成功を手にした代わりに、健康という大きな代償を払うことになった。 In exchange for achieving success, he ended up paying a heavy price—his health.
2. 平和を守るためにはいかなる代償も惜しまないと、彼は宣言した。 He declared that no sacrifice would be too great to protect peace.
3. 軽率な判断には必ず相応の代償が伴うことを、彼は身をもって学んだ。 He learned firsthand that reckless decisions always come with a corresponding cost.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, journalism, business, ethics

Tone: weighty

Origin & History

Compound of 代 (dai) meaning 'substitute, in place of' and 償 (sho) meaning 'to compensate, repay'. The combination suggests something given in return — often at a steep personal cost.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal