リスク

• Reading: りすく
• Romaji: risuku
• Pronunciation: /ɾisɯkɯ/

Meaning

Risk. The possibility of loss, harm, or an undesirable outcome from a decision or action.

A loanword from English 'risk,' now fully naturalised in Japanese business, finance, and everyday speech. Common collocations include リスクを取る (to take a risk), リスク管理 (risk management), リスクヘッジ (risk hedging), and ハイリスク・ハイリターン (high risk, high return). It has largely displaced the native 危険 in financial and strategic contexts.

Examples

1. 投資にはリスクが伴うことを十分に理解してから始めるべきだ。 You should fully understand that investing involves risk before you begin.
2. リスクを取らなければ大きな成果も望めない。 You can't expect great results without taking risks.
3. 企業はリスク管理の体制を整えることが不可欠だ。 It is essential for companies to establish a risk management framework.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, daily life, strategy

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'risk,' itself from Italian risico (danger at sea) via French risque. Entered Japanese business vocabulary prominently in the latter half of the 20th century.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal