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Kotomora

益

benefit, gain, profit, advantage

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes10

Readings

On'yomi

  • エキ
  • ヤク

Kun'yomi

  • ま.す

Nanori

  • まし
  • ます

Meaning

益 centers on something added that improves a situation: a benefit, gain, profit, or advantage.

Most common words using 益

20 of 154
  • 利益りえき
    N2

    profit; gains

  • 益々ますます
    N3

    increasingly; more and more; decreasingly (when declining); less and less

  • 収益しゅうえき
    N1

    earnings; proceeds; returns; revenue

  • 益えき

    benefit; use; good; advantage; gain

  • 有益ゆうえき
    N1

    beneficial; profitable; useful; helpful; instructive

  • 公益こうえき

    public interest; public benefit; public good

  • 不利益ふりえき
    N1

    disadvantage; handicap; drawback; inadvisability; inexpediency; loss

  • 国益こくえき

    national interest

  • 権益けんえき

    (one's) interests

  • 損益そんえき
    N1

    profit and loss; advantage and disadvantage

  • 御利益ごりやく

    divine grace; divine favour; blessing; answer to a prayer

  • 受益じゅえき

    benefitting by; benefiting by

  • 無益むえき
    N1

    useless; futile; vain

  • 実益じつえき

    actual profit; practical use; benefit

  • 便益べんえき

    convenience; benefit; profit

  • 増益ぞうえき

    increased (profit)

  • 減益げんえき

    decrease in profits

  • 含み益ふくみえき

    unrealized profit; paper profit; unrealized gains

  • 共益きょうえき

    common benefit; public good

  • 差益さえき

    marginal profits

Explore all words using 益 →

Study

Etymology

益 originally depicted water overflowing from a vessel (皿), conveying the idea of increase or surplus. The modern form retains 皿 at the bottom, with the upper part stylized from the overflowing water.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a dish (皿) with something extra piled on top, spilling over. That overflow is a gain or benefit—more than you started with.

Reading mnemonic

For エキ, imagine a liquid extract (エキス) dripping into the dish, adding value: エキス -> エキ, and the dish overflows with benefit.