利息

• Reading: りそく
• Romaji: risoku
• Kanji breakdown: 利 (ri) — profit, interest, benefit; 息 (soku) — breath, rest, offspring
• Pronunciation: /ɾi.so.kɯ/

Meaning

Interest. The amount of money charged or earned on a loan or deposit over a period of time.

A noun referring to monetary interest, nearly synonymous with 利子 (rishi). While both are widely used, 利息 tends to appear more in written and formal financial contexts such as banking documents and contracts. Common collocations include 利息を受け取る (to receive interest), 利息がかかる (interest is charged), and 無利息 (interest-free). Distinguished from 金利 (kinri, interest rate), which refers to the rate rather than the amount.

Examples

1. 普通預金の利息はほとんどゼロに近い。 The interest on a regular savings account is close to zero.
2. クレジットカードの分割払いには利息がかかる。 Interest is charged on credit card installment payments.
3. 無利息で借りられるキャンペーンを利用した。 I took advantage of a campaign that allowed interest-free borrowing.

Usage Guide

Context: banking, finance, contracts

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 利 (ri, profit/interest/benefit) + 息 (soku, breath/rest/offspring). Just as 利子 uses 'child' as a metaphor, 利息 uses 'breath' — interest is the living product that money generates over time.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal