預金（よきん、yokin）
- deposit

The Japanese word 預金 (よきん - *yokin*) means "deposit" or "savings" in English. It refers to money that is placed in a bank account or other financial institution for safekeeping and potential interest. It encompasses various types of deposits, including savings accounts, checking accounts, and time deposits. 預金 represents the act of depositing money, as well as the money that is deposited.

⚫︎銀行に 預金 する。 Translation: To make a deposit at the bank. ⚫︎定期 預金 を 始める。 Translation: To start a time deposit. ⚫︎預金 の 残高 を 確認 する。 Translation: To check the balance of the deposit.

You use 預金 when talking about money you have saved or placed in a financial institution. It is common in conversations about banking, personal finance, and investments. The word is used in both formal and informal contexts.

預金 is typically written using the kanji 預 (yo - to entrust, deposit) and 金 (kin - money). The reading is よきん (yokin) in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

⚫︎貯金 (ちょきん - *chokin*): Savings, usually implying a savings account. ⚫︎貯蓄 (ちょちく - *chochiku*): Savings, more general than 貯金.

⚫︎引き出し (ひきだし - *hikidashi*): Withdrawal ⚫︎出金 (しゅっきん - *shukkin*): Cash withdrawal

毎月 給料 の 一部 を 預金 しています。 ・Translation: I deposit a part of my salary every month. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the act of regularly saving money.

この 銀行 は 預金 金利 が 高い。 ・Translation: This bank has high deposit interest rates. ・Explanation: This sentence discusses interest rates on deposited money.

The word 預金 is a compound word. 預 (yo) means "to entrust" or "to deposit," and 金 (kin) means "money" or "gold." Therefore, 預金 literally means "entrusted money" or "deposited money," reflecting its core meaning.