家計

• Reading: かけい
• Romaji: kakei
• Kanji breakdown: 家 (ka/ie) — house, family, home; 計 (kei/haka) — measure, plan, calculate
• Pronunciation: /ka.keː/

Meaning

Household economy; family finances. The income and expenditure of a household.

A noun referring to the financial management of a household. Extremely common in daily life discussions about budgeting and money management. Key expressions include 家計簿 (kakeibo, household account book), 家計を支える (kakei wo sasaeru, to support the household finances), and 家計が苦しい (kakei ga kurushii, finances are tight). The Japanese 家計簿 tradition of detailed expense tracking has gained international attention as a budgeting method.

Examples

1. 毎月の家計簿をつけるようにしている。 I try to keep a household budget book every month.
2. 物価が上がって家計が苦しくなった。 Rising prices have made our household finances tighter.
3. 共働きで家計を支えている。 We're both working to support the family finances.

Usage Guide

Context: finance, family, budgeting

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 家 (ka, house/family) + 計 (kei, measure/plan/calculate). Literally 'household calculation' — the accounting of a family's finances.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal