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身代 (しんだい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

身しん代だい

し

ん

だ

い

Meanings

1

noun

fortune; property; assets

Refers to one's total wealth or financial standing, often used in contexts of inheritance, business, or personal finance.

彼かれは事じ業ぎょうに失しっ敗ぱいして身しん代だいを失うしなった。
He lost his fortune when his business failed.
身しん代だいを築きずくには長ながい時じ間かんがかかる。
It takes a long time to build up one's fortune.

Kanji

身somebody, person, one's station in life
代substitute, change, convert

Similar words

財ざい産さん
財産 is a broader term for property or assets, while 身代 emphasizes one's entire financial worth or fortune, often with a personal or narrative nuance.

Etymology

Compound of 身 (body, oneself) and 代 (substitute, generation, price). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of one's personal financial standing or net worth.