Word
Kana: きんせん Romaji: kinsen Level: N3

金銭

Meaning in English

money, cash, financial matters

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Dictionary

Word context

What it means

金銭 means money or cash in a formal sense, referring to monetary resources used for transactions and wealth. It denotes money as a concept in economic or financial contexts rather than casual speech.

Main meanings

  • money in a formal sense, broader than coins and notes
  • financial resources or capital used in operations
  • monetary matters or financial affairs in legal or economic discourse
  • economic wealth or assets referenced in formal writing

How to use it

Used in formal writing, economics, law, and journalism; in everyday speech, お金 is preferred; 金銭 occurs in formal phrases such as 金銭問題 and 金銭感覚, and in legal or policy discussions to denote monetary matters.

Variants and close terms

  • お金 (okane) — casual, everyday money
  • 資金 (shikin) — funds or capital for a project
  • 財源 (zaigen) — financial resources or funding sources

Composition

  • 金: metal or gold, representing wealth or currency
  • 銭: coin or money unit, emphasizing the monetary aspect

Etymology

Two-kanji compound: 金 (gold/money) and 銭 (coin) combine to denote monetary wealth; the pronunciation kin-sen is the established modern form. No loanword is involved.

Origin

Historically, 金銭 appeared in classical Japanese texts to refer to money, with usage expanding during the Edo period as commerce and coinage grew; it remains common in formal finance and legal language.

Word class

noun (名詞)

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