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Kotomora

済

settle (debt, etc.), relieve (burden), finish, come to an end, excusable, need not

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 200Strokes11

Readings

On'yomi

  • サイ
  • セイ

Kun'yomi

  • す.む
  • -ず.み
  • -ずみ
  • す.まない
  • す.ます
  • -す.ます
  • すく.う
  • な.す
  • わたし
  • わた.る

Nanori

  • すむ
  • なり
  • わたる

Meaning

済 centers on bringing something to a satisfactory close: settling a debt, finishing a task, or relieving a burden. The sense of being excusable or not needing to do something extends from the idea that the matter is already resolved.

Most common words using 済

22 of 421
  • 経済けいざい
    N5

    economy; economics

  • 済みませんすみません
    N4

    excuse me; pardon me; I'm sorry; I beg your pardon

  • 済むすむ
    N4

    to finish; to end; to be completed; to be resolved

  • 救済きゅうさい
    N2

    relief; aid; help; rescue

  • 決済けっさい

    settlement (of an account); liquidation of debts; payment

  • 返済へんさい
    N2

    repayment; reimbursement; refund; redemption

  • 済ますすます
    N2

    to finish; to get it over with; to conclude

  • 済まないすまない
    N2

    inexcusable; unjustifiable; unpardonable

  • 済ませるすませる
    N3

    to finish; to make an end of; to get through with; to let end

  • 共済きょうさい

    mutual aid

  • 弁済べんさい
    N1

    repayment; settlement (of a debt); paying off; reimbursement (of expenses)

  • 経済的けいざいてき
    N1

    economic; financial

  • 経済界けいざいかい

    economic world; financial circles; business community

  • 経済企画庁けいざいきかくちょう

    Economic Planning Agency (1955-2001)

  • 使用済みしようずみ
    N2

    used (ticket, stamp, etc.); spent (fuel, battery, etc.)

  • 経済研究所けいざいけんきゅうじょ

    economic research institute

  • 経済成長率けいざいせいちょうりつ

    rate of economic growth

  • 経済封鎖けいざいふうさ

    economic blockade; embargo

  • 自由経済じゆうけいざい

    free economy

  • 日本経済にほんけいざい

    Japanese economy

  • 決済方法けっさいほうほう

    payment method

  • 経済学けいざいがく

    economics

Explore all words using 済 →

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Etymology

済 combines 氵 (water) with 斉, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of evenness or leveling. The original sense may have been crossing a river, from which the ideas of finishing and settling developed.

Meaning mnemonic

Water 氵 flows evenly 斉, like a river crossing that brings you to the other side. When you cross, the journey is finished and debts are settled.

Reading mnemonic

For サイ, imagine a sigh of relief when a debt is finally settled: sigh -> サイ, and the water washes the burden away.