Translation guide
A subsidy is financial assistance from a government or organization to support a specific activity, industry, or group. In Japanese, the most common and versatile term is 補助金 (hojokin), but other words like 助成金 (joseikin) and 交付金 (kōfukin) are used depending on the context and type of support.
To refer to a subsidy in a broad sense, such as government grants or aid to businesses, individuals, or projects.
The most common and general term for a subsidy. It covers a wide range of financial assistance from national or local governments, as well as other organizations.
The government provided subsidies to small and medium-sized enterprises.
This project is run with a subsidy from the city.
Often used for grants or subsidies aimed at supporting specific activities, research, or social programs. It can imply a more targeted or conditional form of aid compared to 補助金.
Apply for a research grant.
This foundation provides subsidies for artistic activities.
Refers to funds distributed by the government, often to local governments or specific sectors. It can be a type of subsidy but emphasizes the act of allocation or delivery.
Local allocation grants are an important source of revenue for municipalities.
To talk about subsidies tied to particular sectors or policy goals.
Still the default term, often combined with the specific field (e.g., 農業補助金 for agricultural subsidies).
Agricultural subsidies support farmers' incomes.
Often used as a suffix or in compound words to indicate support or subsidization for a specific purpose (e.g., 住宅助成 for housing assistance).
To describe a subsidy that lowers the consumer price of a product or service.
補助金 is the broadest term for any financial subsidy. 助成金 often implies a grant for a specific project or activity, with more emphasis on the purpose. 交付金 refers to funds allocated by the government, often to local entities, and may not always be a 'subsidy' in the sense of supporting a particular activity—it can be a general fiscal transfer.
Subsidies are used in various fields.
Grants are often provided for specific projects.
Allocation grants are distributed to local governments.
When in doubt, 補助金 is the safest and most widely understood term for 'subsidy' in Japanese. It can be used in most contexts, from government policies to corporate support programs.
省エネ設備の導入に助成が受けられる。
You can receive a subsidy for installing energy-saving equipment.
燃料費の高騰に対応するため、助成金が拡充された。
Subsidies were expanded to cope with soaring fuel costs.