給与

きゅうよ

salary

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"給与" (きゅうよ) specifically refers to salary or wages paid to employees. It is a formal term often used in business and official contexts.

Common Contexts

You will see "給与" used when discussing monthly pay, salary adjustments, or official salary statements. It is more formal than casual words like "お金" (money) or "給料" (also salary but slightly less formal).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 給与を振り込む: to deposit salary
  • 給与明細: salary statement
  • 給与を見直す: to review salary

These collocations are common in workplace conversations and documents.

Register and Nuance

"給与" is polite and formal, suitable for business settings, official documents, and news reports. Avoid using it in casual conversations where "給料" might be more natural.

Common Mistake

Learners sometimes confuse "給与" with "給料". While both mean salary, "給与" is more formal and often used in written or official contexts, whereas "給料" is more common in everyday speech. Use "給与" when you want to sound professional or refer to official salary matters.

Example Sentences

まいつきのきゅうよはぎんこうこうざにふりこまれます。

The monthly salary is deposited into the bank account.

かいしゃはしゃいんのきゅうよをまいとしみなおします。

The company reviews employees' salaries every year.

きゅうよめいさいをよくかくにんしてください。

Please check your salary statement carefully.