相殺（そうさい、sousai）
- cancellation

The Japanese word 相殺相殺 means "to offset," "to cancel out," or "to balance out." It refers to the act of reducing a debt or obligation by an equal amount. This can happen when two parties have reciprocal claims against each other, and they agree to reduce the total amount owed by the amount of the smaller claim. The result is that one or both parties have their financial obligations adjusted. It can also describe the cancellation of something, where two opposing forces, actions, or elements negate each other's effects. The key concept is the mutual reduction or elimination of something.

⚫︎ 借金と貸金を相殺する。 Translation: To offset debts and credits. ⚫︎ 損失を利益で相殺する。 Translation: To offset losses with profits. ⚫︎ この二つの意見は互いに相殺し合う。 Translation: These two opinions cancel each other out.

This word is used in formal and informal contexts. In business, it often refers to financial transactions. In everyday conversation, 相殺相殺 can describe situations where opposing forces or actions cancel each other out. It’s commonly used when discussing debts, credits, losses, and gains. The verb form, 相殺する, is frequently used.

⚫︎The word is written in kanji as 相殺相殺. ⚫︎The reading is そうさい in hiragana. ⚫︎The verb form is 相殺する (to offset/cancel out), which uses the suru-verb conjugation. ⚫︎There are no other ways to write this word. ⚫︎The okurigana is always "する" for the verb form.

⚫︎ 差し引く (sashihiku) - to deduct ⚫︎ 埋め合わせる (umēawaseru) - to compensate; to offset ⚫︎ 相殺する (sōsaīsūru) - to offset/cancel out (same as 相殺相殺する) ⚫︎ 帳消しにする (chōkeshi ni suru) - to write off; to cancel

⚫︎ 増やす (fuyasu) - to increase ⚫︎ 加える (kuwaeru) - to add ⚫︎ 支払う (shiharau) - to pay

会社は赤字を補填するために、未払いの給与を相殺することにした。 ・Translation: The company decided to offset unpaid salaries to cover the deficit. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the use of 相殺 to reduce the financial impact of a deficit by using an existing obligation (unpaid salaries).

二つのチームの力が拮抗しており、どちらも相手の攻撃を相殺していた。 ・Translation: The two teams were evenly matched, and both were offsetting each other's attacks. ・Explanation: This example shows the use of 相殺相殺 in a non-financial context, describing how opposing forces (attacks) neutralized each other.

The word 相殺相殺 is composed of two kanji: 相 (sō/ai) meaning "each other," "together," "mutually," and 殺 (satsu/sai) meaning "to kill," "to reduce," or "to diminish." The combination of the kanji suggests the idea of mutually reducing or eliminating something. In the context of finance, it implies the reduction of debts or obligations. In other contexts, it can suggest the cancellation of an effect.