金利

• Reading: きんり
• Romaji: kinri
• Kanji breakdown: 金 (kin) — gold, money; 利 (ri) — profit, benefit, interest
• Pronunciation: /kiɴ.ɾi/

Meaning

Interest rate; interest. The cost of borrowing money or the return on savings.

A compound noun: 金 (money) + 利 (profit/benefit). Covers both lending and deposit rates. Key collocations include 金利が上がる/下がる (interest rates rise/fall), 低金利 (low interest rate), 金利引き上げ (rate hike). Japan's long period of ultra-low interest rates makes this word frequently appear in economic news.

Examples

1. 住宅ローンの金利が過去最低を記録した。 Mortgage interest rates hit a record low.
2. 中央銀行が金利を引き上げる方針を発表した。 The central bank announced plans to raise interest rates.
3. 低金利の時代には、預金だけでは資産が増えない。 In a low-interest-rate environment, savings alone won't grow your assets.

Usage Guide

Context: finance, banking, economics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 金 (kin, gold/money) + 利 (ri, profit/benefit). Literally 'money profit,' representing the gain from lending or the cost of borrowing.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal