How to say "account" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 会計かいけいno-adjective, suru verbCovers 'account' in the money sense — accounting, bookkeeping, the reckoning of funds, as in a company's accounts; it also serves for the bill you settle after a meal.
- 口座こうざnounThe word for an account held at a bank or similar institution — the thing you open and pay money into; when English 'account' means a bank account, this is the one.
- 記きnoun, noun (suffix)An account in the sense of a chronicle or written record of events; it is seldom the word you want for 'account' by itself — it really belongs to histories and annals.
- 記述きじゅつnoun, suru verb, transitive verbAn account in the sense of a written description — text that sets out facts or events; it fits 'account' as in giving a written account of what happened.It is not sufficient to describe the differences in attitude between these two ethnic groups.
- 払いはらいnounReally a word for payment or a bill; its 'account' sense is only that of money owed or settled, so it is not the word for a bank account or a written account.
For money matters use 会計, for a bank account 口座, for a written description 記述, for a chronicle-style record 記, and for a bill or payment 「払い」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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