Translation guide
The percentage at which interest is charged or paid on a loan, deposit, or investment. In Japanese, the most common term is 金利 (きんり), but other expressions exist for specific contexts.
What is the interest rate?
The interest rate is low.
The cost of borrowing money or the return on savings, expressed as a percentage.
The standard, all-purpose term for 'interest rate' in economic and everyday contexts. Used for loans, deposits, and bonds.
The interest rate on home loans went up.
A more formal or technical term for 'interest rate', often used in legal, financial, or contractual documents. Interchangeable with 金利 in many cases but slightly more formal.
Literally 'interest rate', but rarely used in modern Japanese. Mostly found in older texts or very formal legal contexts. Prefer 金利 or 利率.
The yearly interest rate, often including fees, used for consumer loans and credit cards.
Short for 'annual interest rate'. Commonly used in loan advertisements and financial product descriptions.
The interest rate set by a central bank to influence the economy.
Distinguishing between an interest rate that stays the same and one that changes over time.
The rate paid by a bank on savings or time deposits.
Specifically the interest rate on bank deposits (savings accounts, time deposits).
The rate charged on borrowed money, such as a mortgage or personal loan.
The interest rate on loans offered by financial institutions. Often used in economic reports.
Both mean 'interest rate'. 金利 is more common in everyday language and news. 利率 is slightly more formal and often appears in contracts or legal documents. In most situations, 金利 is the safer choice.
When interest rates rise, loan repayments increase.
The central bank raised interest rates.
This bank has a low interest rate on ordinary savings accounts.
この債券の利率は年2%です。
The interest rate on this bond is 2% per annum.
The interest rate is specified in the contract.
The annual interest rate on this card loan is 15%.
Means 'annual rate' and is often used in the phrase 年率換算 (annualized rate). Can refer to interest or other rates.
It's an annualized yield of 5%.
The standard term for the central bank's policy interest rate, such as the Bank of Japan's short-term policy rate.
The Bank of Japan kept its policy interest rate unchanged.
Fixed interest rate. Used for mortgages, loans, and bonds.
I chose a fixed-rate mortgage.
Variable or floating interest rate. Often used for mortgages and some loans.
Variable interest rates change according to market trends.
The deposit interest rate at this bank is 0.001%.
The bank's lending rate was lowered.
Common term for loan interest rate, especially in consumer contexts (car loans, personal loans).
I compared loan interest rates and chose the lowest one.
The interest rate is stated in the contract.
The English word 'interest' can mean 'curiosity' (興味, きょうみ) or 'financial interest'. When talking about rates, always use 金利 or 利率, never 興味.
I am interested in Japanese history.
I'm looking for a loan with a low interest rate.