also: そうさつ
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
offset; cancel out; counterbalance
General use for mutual cancellation or balancing of effects, such as gains and losses, credits and debits, or opposing forces.
利益と損失が相殺されて、結局プラスマイナスゼロだった。
The profits and losses offset each other, so in the end it was a wash.
In this transaction, accounts receivable and accounts payable can be offset.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
set-off; setoff
Legal term for the deduction of one debt or claim from another, often in court or formal proceedings.
被告は、原告に対する反対債権をもって相殺の抗弁を提出した。
The defendant submitted a defense of set-off based on a counterclaim against the plaintiff.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
killing each other
Only with reading そうさつ
Obsolete reading そうさつ; historical meaning of mutual killing, not used in modern Japanese.
古い文献では、「相殺」を「そうさつ」と読み、互いに殺し合う意で用いることがある。
In old texts, 相殺 is sometimes read そうさつ and used to mean killing each other.