会員

• Reading: かいいん
• Romaji: kaiin
• Kanji breakdown: 会 (kai) — meeting, association; 員 (in) — member, personnel
• Pronunciation: /ka.i.iɴ/

Meaning

Member; a person who belongs to an organization, club, or service.

A noun combining 会 (association) and 員 (member/personnel). Frequently used with suffixes like 会員証 (membership card) or 会員登録 (member registration). Common in everyday life for gym memberships, loyalty programs, and professional organizations.

Examples

1. 図書館の会員になると本が借りられる。 If you become a library member, you can borrow books.
2. この店は会員だけが入れる。 Only members can enter this store.
3. 会員登録はインターネットでできます。 You can register as a member online.

Usage Guide

Context: organizations, services, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 会 (meeting, association) from Chinese 會, and 員 (member, personnel) from Chinese 員. Together they denote a person belonging to an organized group.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal