滞納

• Reading: たいのう
• Romaji: tainō
• Kanji breakdown: 滞 (tai) — stagnate, be delayed; 納 (nō) — pay, deliver, supply
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.noː/

Meaning

Non-payment; delinquency; arrears. The state of having failed to pay a required sum by its due date.

A formal legal and administrative term used for overdue taxes, rent, insurance premiums, or loan repayments. 滞納者 (tainosha) is a delinquent payer; 滞納処分 (taino shobun) refers to the legal enforcement procedures applied to tax delinquents. Unlike casual expressions for not paying, 滞納 carries a formal, often legal weight. Used as a verbal noun (滞納する).

Examples

1. 家賃を三ヶ月滞納したテナントに対し、オーナーは法的手段に訴えた。 The owner took legal action against a tenant who was three months in arrears on rent.
2. 税金の滞納が続くと、給与や財産が差し押さえられることがある。 If tax delinquency continues, wages and assets may be seized.
3. 中小企業の資金繰り悪化により、社会保険料の滞納が増加している。 With cash flow deteriorating at small and medium-sized businesses, delinquency on social insurance premiums is on the rise.

Usage Guide

Context: law, tax, real estate, finance

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Compound of 滞 (tai, stagnate/be delayed) and 納 (no, pay/deliver). The first character captures the idea of something stuck or not flowing through; together they describe a payment that has stagnated — failed to move through to the recipient.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal