損失

そんしつ

loss

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"損失" (そんしつ) refers to a loss, typically in financial or material terms, such as losing money, property, or value. It is a formal noun often used in business, economics, and insurance contexts.

Common Contexts

You will frequently encounter "損失" when discussing company profits, insurance claims, or any situation where something valuable is lost or diminished.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 損失を出す: to incur a loss; used when a company or individual experiences a financial setback.
  • 損失を抑える: to minimize losses; common in risk management discussions.
  • 損失補填 (そんしつほてん): loss compensation; often related to insurance or financial recovery.

Register and Nuance

"損失" is a formal term and not typically used in casual conversation. It conveys a serious or official tone, especially in written or business Japanese.

Common Learner Mistake

Learners sometimes confuse "損失" with "失う" (うしなう), which means "to lose" as a verb. Remember, "損失" is a noun referring to the loss itself, not the action of losing.

Example Sentences

かいしゃはことし、おおきなそんしつをだした。

The company suffered a big loss this year.

そんしつをさいしょうげんにおさえるために、そうきゅうなたいさくがひつようだ。

Urgent measures are needed to minimize losses.

そんしつほてんのためにほけんにかにゅうするひとがおおい。

Many people buy insurance to cover losses.