月賦

• Reading: げっぷ
• Romaji: geppu
• Kanji breakdown: 月 (getsu/tsuki) — month; 賦 (fu) — instalment, levy, allocation
• Pronunciation: /ɡep.pɯ/

Meaning

Monthly instalment payment; a purchase repaid in equal monthly payments over a set period.

A noun referring to the system of spreading a purchase or debt into equal monthly payments. Predates modern credit card systems and is still used in contracts for large purchases such as furniture and appliances. The term implies a formal instalment agreement rather than informal borrowing. Compare 分割払い, which is more common in everyday speech for credit card instalments.

Examples

1. テレビを月賦で購入し、毎月五千円ずつ支払っている。 I bought a television on a monthly installment plan and am paying five thousand yen each month.
2. 月賦払いは手数料が加算されるため、総支払額が増える場合がある。 Monthly installment payments may increase the total amount paid because of added fees.
3. 高度経済成長期には月賦販売が耐久消費財の普及を後押しした。 During the period of rapid economic growth, monthly installment sales helped drive the spread of durable consumer goods.

Usage Guide

Context: retail, consumer finance, contracts, economic history

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 月 (tsuki/getsu, month) and 賦 (fu, instalment/levy/tribute). The character 賦 has classical roots meaning a levy or allocation, here applied to the concept of monthly payment portions.

Cultural Context

Era: Showa onward

Generation: Adults

Social background: General