利息
lì xī HSK 5

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

银行每年付利息。
Yínháng měinián fù lìxī.
The bank pays interest every year.
这个存款的利息很高。
Zhège cúnkuǎn de lìxī hěn gāo.
The interest rate on this deposit is high.
他计算贷款的利息。
Tā jìsuàn dàikuǎn de lìxī.
He calculates the interest on the loan.
银行有利息。
Yínháng yǒu lìxī.
The bank has interest.
利息很低。
Lìxī hěn dī.
The interest is very low.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 利 (lì) means 'benefit' or 'profit,' and 息 (xī) means 'rest' or 'grow' (as in money 'resting' in an account to grow). Think: 'Profit grows as interest.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and used in both spoken and written Chinese, especially in financial, banking, and economic contexts. It is common in discussions about loans, savings accounts, investments, and credit.

📖 Grammar Points

利息 is typically used as a subject or object in sentences, often with verbs like 支付 (pay), 收取 (collect), or 计算 (calculate). It can be modified by adjectives, e.g., 高利息 (high interest).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, discussing 利息 is common in personal finance, reflecting a practical approach to money management. Historically, concepts of interest have been part of Chinese economic systems for centuries, though attitudes toward lending and borrowing can vary.

🔄 Similar Words

利息 is often compared to 利润 (lìrùn, 'profit'), which refers to general business earnings, while 利息 is specifically financial interest. It also differs from 利率 (lìlǜ, 'interest rate'), which is the percentage used to calculate 利息.

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