Meaning
The kanji 貯 (cho, tameru, tamaru) primarily means 'to save,' 'to store,' or 'to accumulate.' It describes the act of setting something aside for future use or gradually building up a quantity. You'll frequently encounter 貯 in financial contexts, like saving money, but also in more general senses, such as storing water or accumulating experience.
Looking at its etymology helps us understand its core meaning. Like many kanji, 貯 is a semantic-phonetic compound. This means one part hints at the meaning, and another hints at the sound. The left radical, 貝 (かい), means 'shell.' Historically, shells served as currency, linking this radical directly to concepts of money, wealth, and value. The right-hand component, 丁 (てい), acts as the phonetic component, giving 貯 its 'チョ' reading. While 丁 itself means 'nail' or 'street,' in this context, its main function is to suggest the sound. Thus, the combined components visually represent the careful act of managing and setting aside valuable items (貝) for storage or saving.
貯 has a total of 12 strokes. It is a Jōyō kanji (常用漢字), meaning it's for general use and taught in Japanese schools. However, it isn't assigned to a particular elementary school grade. Students usually encounter it at the junior high or high school level, which matches its N2 JLPT classification.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
On'yomi are pronunciations adopted from Chinese. For 貯, the main on'yomi is チョ.
- チョ (cho)
This reading typically appears as part of compound words (熟語 - jukugo). You'll find it in formal or technical terms related to finance, storage, and accumulation, commonly in nouns and verb stems.
- 貯金 (chokin) — savings; deposit. This is one of the most common terms, referring specifically to money saved in a bank or at home.
- 貯水 (chosui) — water storage. Refers to the act or system of storing water, often for public utility, such as in a dam.
- 貯蔵 (chozō) — storage; preservation. This term is used for storing goods, food, or other items for later use.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi are native Japanese readings. These are often used when the kanji stands alone or is followed by okurigana (送り仮名), which are inflectional endings.
- た・める (tameru)
This is the transitive verb form, meaning 'to save,' 'to accumulate,' or 'to collect.' It requires a direct object (marked by を - o) to indicate what is being saved or accumulated. This verb implies an intentional action by the subject.
お金を貯める (okane o tameru) — to save money. This is a direct and common expression for financial saving.
経験を貯める (keiken o tameru) — to accumulate experience. Here, 貯める is used in a more abstract sense, like gaining skills.
力を貯める (chikara o tameru) — to gather strength; to store up power. Implies preparing for an effort or challenge.
た・まる (tamaru)
This is the intransitive verb form, meaning 'to be saved,' 'to accumulate,' or 'to collect.' Unlike its transitive counterpart, it doesn't take a direct object. Instead, the accumulating item itself is the subject (marked by が - ga). This implies something is piling up or building up naturally, or as a result of an external action not explicitly stated by the subject.
- お金が貯まる (okane ga tamaru) — money accumulates; money is saved. This describes the state of money having accumulated.
- 塵が貯まる (gomi ga tamaru) — dust accumulates; dust collects. Describes dust building up in a place, such as in a room.
- ストレスが貯まる (sutoresu ga tamaru) — stress accumulates; stress builds up. A common expression for feeling increasingly stressed.
Common Words & Compounds
Let's look at some common words and compounds that use the kanji 貯, grouped by theme for easier learning.
Financial & Economic Terms:
貯金 (chokin) — savings; deposit. This refers to money saved, usually in a bank account.
貯蓄 (chochiku) — savings; reserves. A more formal term for savings or reserves, often referring to a broader range of assets than just bank deposits.
貯める (tameru) — to save; to accumulate (transitive verb). The kun'yomi verb often used for saving money.
貯まる (tamaru) — to be saved; to accumulate (intransitive verb). Describes the state of money or other things being accumulated.
Storage & Infrastructure:
貯蔵 (chozō) — storage; preservation. Commonly used for storing food, goods, or information.
貯水 (chosui) — water storage. The act or facility for storing water, such as a water tank.
貯水池 (chosuichi) — reservoir; water storage pond. A place where water is stored, often artificially created.
貯炭場 (chotanjō) — coal storage yard. A facility for storing large quantities of coal.
貯油槽 (choyusō) — oil storage tank. A tank used for holding petroleum or other oils.
General Accumulation & Figurative Use:
貯える (takuwaeru) — to store up; to lay in stock; to save (an alternative kun'yomi). This reading carries a broader sense of preparing or holding things in reserve, not just money.
貯め込む (tamekómu) — to hoard; to save up (emphatic transitive verb). This verb emphasizes saving a lot or hoarding something, often with a nuance of doing so excessively.
貯蔵庫 (chozōko) — storage room; storehouse. A place specifically designed for storage, like a pantry or warehouse.
Example Sentences
毎月、少しずつ貯金しています。
Maitsuki, sukoshi zutsu chokin shiteimasu.
I save a little money every month.
将来のために、お金を貯めるのは大切です。
Shōrai no tame ni, okane o tameru no wa taisetsu desu.
It's important to save money for the future.
この貯水池は、町の水を貯えています。
Kono chosuichi wa, machi no mizu o takuwaete imasu.
This reservoir stores the town's water.
最近、ストレスがどんどん貯まってきています。
Saikin, sutoresu ga dondon tamatte kiteimasu.
Recently, stress has been accumulating more and more.
冬に備えて、食料を貯蔵しておきましょう。
Fuyu ni sonaete, shokuryō o chozō shite okimashō.
Let's store food in preparation for winter.
彼の銀行口座にはかなりの貯蓄があるそうです。
Kare no ginkō kōza ni wa kanari no chochiku ga aru sō desu.
I heard he has considerable savings in his bank account.
子どもが大学に行くまでには、十分な学費を貯たい。
Kodomo ga daigaku ni iku made ni wa, jūbun na gakui o tametai.
I want to save enough tuition fees by the time my child goes to university.
この部屋には、もう使わないものがたくさん貯まってしまった。
Kono heya ni wa, mō tsukawanai mono ga takusan tamatte shimatta.
Many unused items have accumulated in this room.
貯蔵庫の温度と湿度は適切に管理されています。
Chozōko no ondo to shitsudo wa tekisetsu ni kanri sarete imasu.
The temperature and humidity of the storage room are properly managed.
彼は若いうちからコツコツと貯蓄を続けてきました。
Kare wa wakai uchi kara kotsukotsu to chochiku o tsuzukete kimashita.
He has steadily continued to save since he was young.
Memory Tip
Here's a tip to help you remember 貯 by focusing on its two main components. On the left is 貝 (かい), the radical for 'shell' or 'money.' This instantly signals that the kanji relates to valuables, finance, or things you'd want to protect and set aside. To the right is 丁 (てい). While 丁 itself means 'nail' or 'street,' here it primarily acts as a phonetic component, giving the kanji its 'チョ' sound. Even though 丁's main role is phonetic, for a memory hook, you can imagine 'nailing' down your money (貝) securely. This helps visualize how your valuables are stored and saved (貯) for later. So, 'nailing down your money' is a memorable way to connect the components to the meaning of 'save' or 'store'.