固定

こてい

fixation, fixing (e.g., salary, capital)

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"固定" (こてい) refers to something that is fixed, set, or established in a stable and unchanging state. It is often used in formal or business contexts to describe fixed salaries, fixed assets, or fixed positions.

Common Contexts

It frequently appears in financial or technical discussions, such as 固定給 (fixed salary), 固定資産 (fixed assets), or 固定電話 (landline phone).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 固定給 (こていきゅう): fixed salary, used when contrasting with variable pay.
  • 固定資産 (こていしさん): fixed assets, common in accounting.
  • 固定される (こていされる): to be fixed or secured, often used for objects or schedules.

Register and Nuance

The word is formal and neutral in tone. It implies stability and lack of change. When used about schedules or plans, it means they have been firmly decided.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 固定 with words meaning "to fix" in the sense of repairing (直す). Remember 固定 emphasizes the state of being fixed or stable, not the action of repairing.

Example Sentences

きゅうりょうはこていきゅうとぶあいきゅうのくみあわせです。

The salary is a combination of fixed pay and commission.

このきかいのぶひんはこていされているのでうごきません。

The parts of this machine are fixed, so they do not move.

かいぎのにちじはまだこていされていません。

The date and time of the meeting have not been fixed yet.