Lesson L6N3N3 Kanji in Context⏱ 25 min

Money and Economy Kanji

This lesson presents key kanji for financial and economic topics such as yen, currency, wages, and markets, with example compounds and sentences to reinforce meaning and usage in real-world contexts.

🎯 Goal: Learn N3 kanji related to money and the economy in context.

Lesson Content

Learning Goal

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and read 10 N3 kanji related to money and the economy, understand their meanings in context, and use them in simple sentences.

Concept

Money and economy kanji are common in Japanese news, business, and daily life. These characters often appear in compound words (jukugo) related to finance, trade, and value. Instead of memorizing isolated kanji, you will learn them in practical word pairs and short phrases.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. 金 (kane, kin) – gold, money

On'yomi: キン (kin)
Kun'yomi: かね (kane)
Meaning: gold, metal, money
Common words:
- お金 (おかね, okane) – money
- 金曜日 (きんようび, kinyoubi) – Friday (literally "gold day")
Writing tip: The top part is like a roof, the bottom is like two lines. Think of a treasure chest with gold bars inside.

2. 銀 (gin) – silver

On'yomi: ギン (gin)
Meaning: silver
Common words:
- 銀行 (ぎんこう, ginkou) – bank (literally "silver + row")
- 銀色 (ぎんいろ, gin'iro) – silver color
Writing tip: Left radical is "metal" (金), right side is "root" (艮). Imagine a silver root growing from a metal mine.

3. 円 (en) – circle, yen (Japanese currency)

On'yomi: エン (en)
Kun'yomi: まるい (marui) – round
Meaning: circle, yen (¥)
Common words:
- 百円 (ひゃくえん, hyaku en) – 100 yen
- 円形 (えんけい, enkei) – circular shape
Writing tip: Draw a circle with a line through it. The shape itself looks like a coin.

4. 買 (kai) – buy

On'yomi: バイ (bai)
Kun'yomi: かう (kau) – to buy
Meaning: purchase
Common words:
- 買い物 (かいもの, kaimono) – shopping
- 買う (かう, kau) – to buy
Writing tip: Top is "net" (罒), bottom is "shell" (貝). Ancient people used shells as money and caught them with nets.

5. 売 (bai) – sell

On'yomi: バイ (bai)
Kun'yomi: うる (uru) – to sell
Meaning: sell
Common words:
- 売る (うる, uru) – to sell
- 売店 (ばいてん, baiten) – shop, kiosk
Writing tip: Top is "scholar" (士), bottom is "shell" (貝). A scholar selling shells.

6. 価 (ka) – price, value

On'yomi: カ (ka)
Meaning: price, value
Common words:
- 価格 (かかく, kakaku) – price
- 価値 (かち, kachi) – value
Writing tip: Left is "person" (亻), right is "west" (西). Imagine a person setting a price for western goods.

7. 格 (kaku) – status, rank, standard

On'yomi: カク (kaku)
Meaning: status, rank, standard
Common words:
- 価格 (かかく, kakaku) – price
- 合格 (ごうかく, goukaku) – pass (an exam)
Writing tip: Left is "tree" (木), right is "each" (各). Think of a tree with each branch having a different rank.

8. 費 (hi) – expense, cost

On'yomi: ヒ (hi)
Meaning: expense, cost
Common words:
- 費用 (ひよう, hiyou) – expense
- 生活費 (せいかつひ, seikatsuhi) – living expenses
Writing tip: Top is "not yet" (未), bottom is "shell" (貝). You haven't paid yet, so it's an expense.

9. 貸 (tai) – lend

On'yomi: タイ (tai)
Kun'yomi: かす (kasu) – to lend
Meaning: lend
Common words:
- 貸す (かす, kasu) – to lend
- 貸金 (たいきん, taikin) – loan money
Writing tip: Top is "substitute" (代), bottom is "shell" (貝). You substitute your shell (money) for someone else.

10. 借 (shaku) – borrow

On'yomi: シャク (shaku)
Kun'yomi: かりる (kariru) – to borrow
Meaning: borrow
Common words:
- 借りる (かりる, kariru) – to borrow
- 借金 (しゃっきん, shakkin) – debt
Writing tip: Left is "person" (亻), right is "old" (昔). An old person borrowing money.

Mini Examples

Kanji	Word	Romaji	English
金	お金	okane	money
銀	銀行	ginkou	bank
円	百円	hyaku en	100 yen
買	買う	kau	to buy
売	売る	uru	to sell
価	価格	kakaku	price
格	合格	goukaku	pass
費	費用	hiyou	expense
貸	貸す	kasu	to lend
借	借りる	kariru	to borrow

Example sentences:

銀行でお金を借りる。
Ginkou de okane o kariru.
(I borrow money at the bank.)
この店の価格は高い。
Kono mise no kakaku wa takai.
(The price at this store is high.)
百円で買う。
Hyaku en de kau.
(I buy it for 100 yen.)

Common Mistake

Confusing 買 (buy) and 売 (sell)

買う (kau) = to buy (you give money, get item)
売る (uru) = to sell (you give item, get money)

Memory trick:

買 has a "net" (罒) on top – you catch the item with your money.
売 has a "scholar" (士) on top – a scholar sells knowledge.

Quick Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct kanji from this lesson.

この本を___う (to buy) → 買
あの店で古い車を___る (to sell) → 売
___行でお金を___りる (bank / to borrow) → 銀 / 借
この___格は安い (price) → 価
毎月の___用が高い (expense) → 費

Answers:

買
売
銀 / 借
価
費

Summary and Next Step

You have learned 10 key kanji for money and the economy: 金, 銀, 円, 買, 売, 価, 格, 費, 貸, 借. Practice reading them in compound words and try writing them from memory.

Next step: Study kanji for "work and business" (e.g., 仕, 事, 会, 社, 員) to expand your vocabulary for workplace and economic contexts.