Meaning and Usage
"信用" (しんよう) primarily means "trust," "confidence," or "credit." It is used both in personal contexts, such as trusting a person, and in financial contexts, like creditworthiness.
Common Collocations
- 信用できる: to be trustworthy
- 信用を失う: to lose trust
- 信用調査: credit investigation
- 信用取引: credit transaction
Nuances and Register
"信用" is a formal word often used in business, legal, and financial contexts, but it is also common in everyday speech when talking about trustworthiness. It implies a reliable and established trust rather than casual belief.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "信用" with "信頼" (しんらい), which also means trust. "信用" often relates to trust based on reputation or credit, especially in financial or official matters, while "信頼" emphasizes personal trust and reliance.
Understanding these differences helps use "信用" appropriately in conversations about trust, credit, and reliability.