利 息(りそく)

りそく

noun

interest (on money)

1. interest (financial)

Money paid for the use of borrowed money, or earned on deposited money.

利息(りそく)が高(たか)い。

The interest is high.

銀行(ぎんこう)の利息(りそく)は低(ひく)い。

Bank interest rates are low.

毎月(まいつき)の利息(りそく)を支払(しはら)う。

To pay the monthly interest.

銀行(ぎんこう)に預(あず)けると利息(りそく)がつく。

If you deposit money at a bank, you earn interest.

この利息(りそく)で借(か)りると、返(かえ)す金額(きんがく)がとても大(おお)きくなる。

If you borrow at this interest rate, the amount you repay will become very large.

利息(りそく) refers to the money earned on savings or paid on loans — the actual amount of interest, not the percentage rate.

COMMON PATTERNS:

利息(りそく)がつく: to earn/accrue interest
利息(りそく)を払(はら)う: to pay interest
利息(りそく)を受(う)け取(と)る: to receive interest
利息(りそく)が高(たか)い/低(ひく)い: interest is high/low

SIMILAR WORDS:

利子(りし): interest (virtually synonymous; 利子(りし) is slightly more formal and common in written/legal contexts)
金利(きんり): interest rate (the percentage, not the money amount)
利率(りりつ): interest rate (more technical/formal than 金利(きんり))

USAGE NOTE:
利息(りそく) applies to both interest earned on deposits and interest charged on loans. Context makes clear which is meant. In Japan's long era of low interest rates, 利息(りそく)がほとんどつかない (earning almost no interest) has been a common complaint about bank savings.

Related Words

Synonym: 利子(りし) (interest (synonym))

Related: 金利(きんり) (interest rate)

core

Added 2026.1.16 16:41 · Revised 2026.6.7 2:03

05000/05469_risoku