The Meaning of kin-sen [金銭] In Japanese

金銭
きんせん
Romaji: kin-sen N3

What does 金銭 mean?

Translation and Meaning

money, finances, funds

Definition

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.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

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

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.

Composition

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

Usage

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.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: kin-sen can be remembered as kin (gold) + sen (coin); picture a chest of gold and a row of coins exchanged in a wallet to recall that 金銭 means money or currency.

Variations

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

Example Phrases

  • 今日は 金銭 の 使い方 を 父 と 話しました。
    Kyou wa kinsen no tsukaikata o chichi to hanashimashita.
    Today I talked with my father about how to use money.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 金銭 (kinsen) – money
    • の (no) – of
    • 使い方 (tsukaikata) – how to use
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 父 (chichi) – father
    • と (to) – with
    • 話しました (hanashimashita) – talked
    「金銭」は formal noun for money; in this context 「金銭の使い方」 means ‘how to use money’ and signals a more formal register.
金銭