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倹約 (けんやく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, na-adjective
thrift ; frugality ; economy
Refers to careful, restrained spending and avoiding waste. Can be used as a noun, suru-verb, or adjectival noun. Often implies a positive, disciplined approach to saving.
母はは は とても 倹けん 約やく 家か で 、 無む 駄だ 遣づか い を し ない 。
My mother is very thrifty and doesn't waste money.
Kanji 倹 frugal, economy, thrifty 約 promise, approximately, shrink Similar words 節せつ 約やく 節約 is more common and neutral for 'saving' or 'cutting back' on specific things (e.g., electricity, time). 倹約 implies a broader, often habitual lifestyle of thrift and avoiding waste.
浪ろう 費ひ Antonym; 浪費 means wasteful spending or squandering, the opposite of 倹約.
Etymology Compound of 倹 (thrifty, economical) and 約 (promise, approximately, here meaning to restrain or moderate). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination has been used to express the concept of frugality.
