How to say "capital" in Japanese

• 都みやこJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe geographic sense: a capital city, the seat of government. It is the word that fits Kyoto, Japan's former capital, in historical and cultural discussion, and it is not used for the financial senses.
• 資金しきんJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers 'capital' as funds: money needed or set aside for a particular purpose, such as running a business. Use it when 'capital' means the money a venture has available to spend.
  その計画けいかくには資金しきんが不足ふそくしていた。↗

  Money for the plan was lacking.
• 資本しほんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCapital in the economic sense: the money invested in a business as the basis of its operations. Choose this for business and economic capital, rather than money set aside for a particular purpose.
  彼かれらには次つぎの工場こうじょうを建設けんせつするだけの資本しほんがある。↗

  They have enough capital to build a second factory.
• 元手もとでCommon
  nounCapital as the stake put up to start a venture — seed money. Typical context: talking about how much money someone had to start a business, or whether they have enough to get going.
• 元本がんぽんCommon
  nounThis is really 'principal': the original sum invested or lent, as opposed to the interest or gains it yields. Not the word for capital in general — choose it when 'capital' means the principal itself.

Use 都 for the capital-city sense; among the money words, 資金 is funds for a purpose, 資本 is business capital, 元手 is the stake put up to start a venture, and 元本 is principal as opposed to interest.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 都みやこcapital (esp. Kyoto, Japan's former capital)
• 資金しきんfunds
• 資本しほんfunds
• 元手もとでcapital
• 元本がんぽんprincipal
• 原資げんしcapital
• キャピタルcapital
• キャピトルcapital
• 首府しゅふcapital (city)
• 柱頭ちゅうとうcapital (of a column)
• 京華けいかcapital
• 京師けいしcapital
• 出資金しゅっしきんcapital
• 京洛きょうらくcapital (esp. Kyoto)
• 元入金もといれきんcapital
• カピタルcapital
• 資しfunds
• 首都しゅと(national) capital (city)
• 中央ちゅうおうcapital
• 元金がんきんcapital
• 都とcapital
• 京城けいじょうcapital
• 元もとcapital