税
tax, duty
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
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.