稼ぐ

• Reading: かせぐ
• Romaji: kasegu
• Kanji breakdown: 稼 (kase) — earn, work
• Pronunciation: /ka.se.ɡɯ/

Meaning

To earn income; to labor. To make money through work or effort.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb ending in ぐ. Primarily means to earn money (お金を稼ぐ) but also extends to earning points, gaining time (時間を稼ぐ, to buy time), or working hard in general. More direct and practical than 働く (to work), as 稼ぐ specifically implies producing income or results.

Examples

1. アルバイトで月に十万円稼いでいる。 I earn 100,000 yen a month from my part-time job.
2. 彼は若いころから自分で稼いで生活していた。 He's been earning his own living since he was young.
3. 試合で時間を稼ぐ作戦を使った。 They used a strategy to run out the clock during the game.

Usage Guide

Context: work, finance, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 稼 combines 禾 (grain/rice plant) and 家 (house), originally meaning 'to grow crops at home' — working the land to sustain one's household. The meaning expanded to earning a living in general.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal