財布（さいふ、saifu）
- wallet

The word 財布 (さいふ) means "wallet" or "purse" in English. It refers to a small, often foldable, container used for carrying money, credit cards, identification, and other small personal items. It's a fundamental everyday item.

⚫︎財布をなくしました。 Translation: I lost my wallet. ⚫︎新しい財布が欲しいです。 Translation: I want a new wallet. ⚫︎この財布は革製です。 Translation: This wallet is made of leather.

You use 財布 in conversation when talking about your wallet or someone else's wallet. It's used in various contexts, from describing its appearance to discussing its contents or whether it has been lost or found. The word 財布 itself is generally used.

財布 is typically written in kanji. ⚫︎ Kanji: 財布 ⚫︎ Hiragana: さいふ There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

There aren't many direct synonyms for 財布, as it is a specific object. However, depending on context, you could potentially use: ⚫︎ 小銭入れ (こぜにいれ) - coin purse ⚫︎ 札入れ (さついれ) - billfold (specifically for paper money) These aren't perfect synonyms, but they relate to components within a 財布.

There isn't a direct antonym.

この財布にはいくら入っていますか？ ・Translation: How much money is in this wallet? ・Explanation: This sentence directly asks about the contents of the 財布.

彼女は新しい財布を買った。 ・Translation: She bought a new wallet. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of purchasing a 財布.

The etymology of 財布 is quite straightforward. The kanji 財 (zai) means "wealth" or "property," and the kanji 布 (fu) means "cloth" or "fabric." Therefore, the literal meaning is something like "wealth-cloth" suggesting the cloth or container for holding wealth (money).