Meet 貯 in words for saving money and storing water. Connect each reading to a complete word and a useful context.

The idea

貯 has 12 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 貯金（ちょきん） means savings or saving money, 貯蓄（ちょちく） means savings or accumulating them, and 貯める（ためる） means to accumulate or store.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
貯金ちょきんI save money every month.
貯蓄ちょちくIt is important to build savings for the future.
貯めるためるThe dam stores water.
貯金箱ちょきんばこI put coins in a piggy bank.

Examples

  • 毎月まいつき、お金かねを貯金ちょきんします。I save money every month.
  • 銀行ぎんこうで貯金ちょきんを確認かくにんしました。I checked my savings at the bank.
  • 旅行りょこうのためにお金かねを貯ためています。I am saving money for a trip.
  • 将来しょうらいのために貯蓄ちょちくすることは大切たいせつです。It is important to build savings for the future.
  • 貯金箱ちょきんばこに硬貨こうかを入いれます。I put coins in a piggy bank.
  • ダムは水みずを貯ためます。The dam stores water.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

貯金 refers to money, but 貯める can also describe storing water. Do not assume that the reading ちょ in compounds applies to the verb 貯める.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 貯金 in hiragana.

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    ちょきん

    貯金 is ちょきん; it can mean savings or the act of saving money.

  2. Write the reading of 貯蓄 in hiragana.

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    ちょちく

    貯蓄 is ちょちく; it refers to savings or accumulating them for the future.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿める（ためる）［貯／買］.

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    貯

    貯 completes 貯める（ためる）, to accumulate or store; 買 means buy.

Use it today

Write 貯 following the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 貯金 and 貯蓄, then make a sentence with 貯める.