Meaning
財 means wealth, property, assets, and treasure — anything of material value a person, organization, or nation holds. Personal savings, real estate, corporate holdings, national cultural heritage: all of it falls under 財. In modern Japanese, the kanji appears most in formal and economic contexts — government finance, corporate accounting, and legal discussions of property ownership.
The structure of 財 tells its own story. On the left is 貝 (かい), the radical for shell or money. Cowrie shells served as currency across ancient East Asia, so 貝 became the marker for wealth and commerce in dozens of kanji. On the right is 才 (サイ), which supplies the phonetic reading and carries a secondary sense of talent or ability.
Put together, 財 evokes wealth earned through skill — money that talent produces. The kanji is Grade 5 in Japanese elementary education, has 10 strokes, and sits at JLPT N2, where it turns up regularly in news articles, business documents, and formal speech.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The main on'yomi is ザイ, which dominates modern usage. It appears across compound words tied to finance, economics, and property, almost always inside jukugo rather than standing alone.
- 財産 (zaisan) — property, assets, fortune
- 財政 (zaisei) — public finance, fiscal policy
- 財布 (saifu) — wallet, purse
The secondary on'yomi is サイ, an older phonetic layer. Outside of 財布 (saifu), you'll rarely encounter it in modern Japanese.
- 財布 (saifu) — wallet, purse (the clearest everyday example of the サイ reading)
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is たから, meaning treasure or precious thing. It's uncommon in everyday modern prose, but shows up in literature, poetry, place names, and fixed expressions. Where the on'yomi compounds feel clinical and financial, たから is personal — it names something cherished, not merely appraised.
- 財 (takara) — treasure, precious thing
Common Words & Compounds
財 is well-represented across economics, governance, and culture. Here are the compounds worth knowing.
Personal Finance & Everyday Use
- 財布 (saifu) — wallet, purse
- 財産 (zaisan) — property, assets, fortune
- 私財 (shizai) — personal property, private assets
- 蓄財 (chikuzai) — accumulation of wealth, saving money
Government & Institutional Finance
- 財政 (zaisei) — public finance, fiscal affairs
- 財務 (zaimu) — financial affairs, treasury work
- 財源 (zaigen) — financial resources, source of funds
- 財団 (zaidan) — foundation (non-profit organization)
- 財務省 (Zaimushō) — Ministry of Finance (Japan)
Business & Economic Power
- 財閥 (zaibatsu) — financial conglomerate, industrial group (e.g., Mitsubishi, Sumitomo)
- 財界 (zaikai) — business world, financial circles
Culture & Heritage
- 文化財 (bunkazai) — cultural assets, cultural property
- 財宝 (zaihō) — treasure, riches, valuables
Example Sentences
彼は全財産を慈善団体に寄付した。
Kare wa zen-zaisan wo jizen-dantai ni kifu shita.
He donated all of his assets to a charitable organization.
財布を忘れて、コンビニで困ってしまった。
Saifu wo wasurete, konbini de komatte shimatta.
I forgot my wallet and ended up in trouble at the convenience store.
この神社は重要文化財に指定されている。
Kono jinja wa jūyō-bunkazai ni shitei sarete iru.
This shrine has been designated as an important cultural asset.
国の財政は赤字が続いている。
Kuni no zaisei wa akaji ga tsuzuite iru.
The country's public finances have continued to be in deficit.
財界のリーダーたちが経済政策について話し合った。
Zaikai no rīdā-tachi ga keizai-seisaku ni tsuite hanashi atta.
Business world leaders discussed economic policy together.
財団からの奨学金で大学に通えるようになった。
Zaidan kara no shōgakukin de daigaku ni kayoeru yō ni natta.
Thanks to a scholarship from the foundation, I was able to attend university.
財務省は来年度の予算案を発表した。
Zaimushō wa rainen-do no yosan-an wo happyō shita.
The Ministry of Finance announced the budget proposal for next fiscal year.
子供は親にとって何物にも代えられない財だ。
Kodomo wa oya ni totte nani-mono ni mo kaerarenai takara da.
Children are an irreplaceable treasure to their parents.
あの財閥系の企業は戦後も影響力を保ち続けた。
Ano zaibatsu-kei no kigyō wa sengo mo eikyōryoku wo tamochi tsuzuketa.
That zaibatsu-affiliated company continued to maintain its influence even after the war.
Memory Tip
Break 財 into its two parts: 貝 (かい) on the left — a shell, the original currency of ancient East Asia — and 才 (サイ) on the right, meaning talent. A skilled merchant earning shells. The shell side holds the value; the talent side earns it. Picture that merchant's pouch of cowrie shells whenever you see 財, and the ザイ reading will follow.