率

• Reading: りつ
• Romaji: ritsu
• Kanji breakdown: 率 (ritsu/sotsu) — rate, ratio, lead
• Pronunciation: /ɾi.tsɯ/

Meaning

Rate; ratio; percentage. A numerical proportion or measurement.

A noun and suffix for rates, ratios, and percentages. Appears in many important compounds: 確率 (kakuritsu, probability), 成功率 (seikouritsu, success rate), 出席率 (shussekiritsu, attendance rate), 税率 (zeiritsu, tax rate), 打率 (daritsu, batting average). Essential for discussing statistics, data, and performance metrics.

Examples

1. 今年の合格率は去年より高かった。 This year's pass rate was higher than last year's.
2. 出席率が低いと成績に影響する。 A low attendance rate affects your grades.
3. この商品のリピート率はとても高い。 The repeat purchase rate for this product is very high.

Usage Guide

Context: statistics, academics, business

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

The kanji 率 originally depicted a bird net being drawn tight, conveying the idea of leading or guiding. Extended to mean a rate or proportion. Used as both a standalone noun and productive suffix in Sino-Japanese compounds.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal