JLPT N3 money and economy vocabulary covers 31 essential words — pricing terms, banking vocabulary, and economic concepts. This vocabulary is essential for shopping, banking, and understanding economic news at the intermediate level.

This article is part of our JLPT N3 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 31 words with the N3 Money & Economy deck in Onigiri Anki.

Prices & Discounts (8)

Multiple words for "price" exist in Japanese with subtle distinctions — this section clarifies when to use each.

price価格kakaku

この本の価格は高いです。 — The price of this book is high.

price (of an item)値段nedan

この本の値段は高いです。 — The price of this book is high.

fee; charge料金ryoukin

部屋の料金は5000円です。 — The room fee is 5,000 yen.

list price定価teika

このシャツは定価で売っています。 — This shirt is sold at the list price.

prices物価bukka

物価が毎年上がっています。 — Prices are rising every year.

price increase値上げneage

その店は値上げを発表しました。 — The store announced a price increase.

price cut値下げnesage

この商品の値下げをしました。 — We lowered the price of this product.

discount割引waribiki

このシャツは割引されています。 — This shirt is discounted.

Banking (8)

Banking vocabulary is essential for opening accounts, saving money, and handling cash in Japan.

savings貯金chokin

旅行のために貯金しています。 — I am saving money for a trip.

deposit預金yokin

銀行で預金しました。 — I made a deposit at the bank.

account口座kouza

新しい口座を作りました。 — I opened a new bank account.

cash現金genkin

現金で払いました。 — I paid in cash.

debt借金shakkin

彼は借金がたくさんあります。 — He has a lot of debt.

loanローンroon

私は毎月ローンを返しています。 — I am repaying my loan every month.

money exchange両替ryougae

空港で両替しました。 — I exchanged money at the airport.

amount of money金額kingaku

ここに金額を書いてください。 — Please write the amount of money here.

Economy & Finance (8)

These words describe broader economic concepts — income, expenses, and business conditions — common in N3 news-style passages.

income収入shuunyuu

今年は収入が増えました。 — My income increased this year.

expenditure支出shishutsu

毎月の支出が多いです。 — My monthly expenditures are high.

cost; expense費用hiyou

旅行には費用がたくさんかかりました。 — The travel expenses were very high.

saving; economizing節約setsuyaku

新しいパソコンを買うために節約しています。 — I am saving money to buy a new computer.

business conditions景気keiki

景気がよくなっています。 — Business conditions are getting better.

recession不景気fukeiki

不景気で、店が困っています。 — Because of the recession, the stores are having trouble.

product / goods商品shouhin

この商品はとても人気です。 — This product is very popular.

free of charge無料muryou

この博物館は無料です。 — This museum is free of charge.

価格 vs 値段 vs 料金: Three Words for "Price"

価格 (kakaku) is a formal, often written term for price — used in business/economic contexts. 値段 (nedan) is the everyday spoken word for the price of goods. 料金 (ryoukin) specifically means a fee or charge for a service (room fee, transportation fare). Choosing the right one is a common N3 vocabulary distinction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 貯金 and 預金?

貯金 (chokin) is the general concept of "saving money" — can be at home or in a bank. 預金 (yokin) specifically refers to a bank deposit — money placed formally in a bank account.

Why are there so many pricing words in Japanese?

Japanese distinguishes context carefully: retail price (値段), formal/listed price (価格, 定価), service fees (料金), and general price levels (物価). N3 tests your ability to choose the correct term for each situation.

Practice All 31 N3 Money & Economy Words

Import the N3 Money & Economy deck into Onigiri Anki and master financial vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Start on Web

JLPT N3 Money & Economy Vocabulary: 31 Essential Words (2026)