interest
Meaning: Curiosity or attention; money paid for borrowing; a share in something
'Interest' as a noun means curiosity, financial return on money, or a stake in something. As a verb, it means to engage attention. 'In the interest of' means for the sake of; 'conflict of interest' means competing loyalties; 'point of interest' means something worth noticing.
Examples
- She has a keen interest in history. 她对历史有浓厚的兴趣。Tiene un gran interés en la historia.彼女は歴史に強い興味を持っている。그녀는 역사에 깊은 관심을 가지고 있다.
- The bank charges 5% interest on loans. 银行对贷款收取5%的利息。El banco cobra un 5% de interés en los préstamos.銀行はローンに5%の利息を請求する。은행은 대출에 5%의 이자를 부과한다.
- It might interest you to know that she's moving abroad. 你可能会对她要移居国外这件事感兴趣。Podría interesarte saber que se va al extranjero.彼女が海外に引っ越すことを知ったら興味があるかもしれない。그녀가 해외로 이사한다는 것을 알면 관심이 갈 것이다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin 'interesse' meaning 'to be between' or 'to concern' (inter- 'between' + esse 'to be'). The financial sense arose in medieval Latin — interest was compensation for the 'difference' between having money now versus later.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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