How to say "earn" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 得るえるichidan verb, transitive verbCovers the sense of earning something intangible, such as trust, experience, or knowledge, rather than income. Think of it as 'gain' or 'acquire': most natural when the reward is abstract, not money.
- 稼ぐかせぐgodan verb, transitive verbThe usual word when 'earn' means making money: earning income from a job or business. If your sentence could be rephrased as 'make money,' this is almost certainly the word you want.
- 儲けるもうけるichidan verb, transitive verbAlso applies to earning, but with the emphasis on profiting or coming out ahead financially. Best when the sense is 'profit' or 'make a gain' from a venture rather than simply drawing income.
- 得るうるnidan verb (archaic), transitive verbA formal or literary variant of the same word, meaning to get or acquire. It reads as 'earn' only loosely; for money or everyday contexts it is seldom the word you want.
For money use 「稼ぐ」 (or 「儲ける」 when emphasizing profit); 「得る」（える）means gaining something abstract like experience, and its reading うる is a formal or literary way to say the same.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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