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Kotomora

税

tax, duty

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 500Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゼイ

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • さい

Meaning

税 centers on a compulsory payment to authority: a tax or duty levied on goods, income, or transactions.

Most common words using 税

24 of 371
  • 税金ぜいきん
    N3

    tax; duty

  • 税込みぜいこみ
    N3

    including tax (of a price); pretax (income or profits); before tax

  • 納税のうぜい
    N2

    payment of taxes

  • 課税かぜい
    N2

    taxation

  • 増税ぞうぜい
    N1

    tax increase

  • 関税かんぜい
    N1

    customs (duties); duty; tariff

  • 税率ぜいりつ

    tariff

  • 税制ぜいせい

    tax system

  • 税関ぜいかん
    N2

    customs; customs house

  • 税務署ぜいむしょ
    N2

    tax office

  • 税務ぜいむ

    taxation business

  • 減税げんぜい

    tax reduction

  • 脱税だつぜい
    N1

    tax evasion

  • 税理士ぜいりし
    N1

    tax counsellor; tax counselor; licensed tax accountant

  • 国税こくぜい
    N1

    national tax

  • 国税庁こくぜいちょう

    National Tax Agency (Japan)

  • 租税そぜい

    taxes; taxation

  • 税収ぜいしゅう

    tax yields; revenue

  • 免税めんぜい
    N2

    tax exemption; duty exemption

  • 税法ぜいほう

    taxation law

  • 印税いんぜい

    royalty (on book)

  • 国税局こくぜいきょく

    revenue office; taxation bureau

  • 税額ぜいがく

    amount of tax

  • 徴税ちょうぜい

    tax collection; taxation

Explore all words using 税 →

Study

Etymology

税 combines 禾 (grain) with 兑, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of exchange or payment. Historically, taxes were often paid in grain.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is grain 禾, and the right side 兑 suggests exchange. Picture a farmer handing over a portion of his grain harvest as tax.

Reading mnemonic

For ゼイ, imagine a tax collector saying 'Zay, pay up!' as he takes your grain: Zay -> ゼイ.