利息 (lìxi) — interest (on money)
HSK 5 | noun | money paid for the use of borrowed capital, or earned on savings
利息 (lìxi)
利息 refers to the money paid by a borrower to a lender for the use of borrowed funds, or the money earned by a depositor on savings placed in a bank.
Meanings
- [noun] interest (financial), money earned or paid on a loan or deposit
Example Sentences
这笔贷款的年利率为百分之五，每年需要支付的利息相当可观。 Zhè bǐ dàikuǎn de nián lìlǜ wèi bǎifēnzhī wǔ, měi nián xūyào zhīfù de lìxi xiāngdāng kěguān. The annual interest rate on this loan is five percent, and the interest payable each year is quite substantial.
把钱存入银行可以获得一定的利息收入。 Bǎ qián cún rù yínháng kěyǐ huòdé yīdìng de lìxi shōurù. Depositing money in a bank can earn a certain amount of interest income.
他按时还清了贷款本金和所有利息。 Tā àn shí huán qīng le dàikuǎn běnjīn hé suǒyǒu lìxi. He paid off the loan principal and all the interest on time.
央行下调利率将导致银行存款的利息减少。 Yāngháng xià diào lìlǜ jiāng dǎozhì yínháng cúnkuǎn de lìxi jiǎnshǎo. A central bank interest rate cut will cause interest on bank deposits to decrease.
高利贷的利息远超正规银行贷款，极易让借款人陷入债务陷阱。 Gāolìdài de lìxi yuǎn chāo zhèngguī yínháng dàikuǎn, jí yì ràng jièkuǎn rén xiàn rù zhàiwù xiànjǐng. The interest on loan sharks is far higher than regular bank loans and can easily trap borrowers in a debt spiral.
这款理财产品承诺的年化利息高达百分之十二，但风险也相应较高。 Zhè kuǎn lǐcái chǎnpǐn chéngnuò de niánhuà lìxi gāodá bǎifēnzhī shíèr, dàn fēngxiǎn yě xiāngyìng jiào gāo. The annualized interest promised by this financial product reaches twelve percent, but the risk is correspondingly higher.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 利息收入 | interest income |
| 支付利息 | to pay interest |
| 本金和利息 | principal and interest |
| 年利息 | annual interest |
| 利息率 | interest rate |
| 高利息 | high interest |
Usage Notes
利息 specifically refers to the actual monetary amount of interest paid or earned, while 利率 (lìlǜ) refers to the interest rate (the percentage). In everyday Chinese finance: 利息 = the money itself, 利率 = the rate. For example: 利率是百分之五 (the interest rate is 5%) produces 利息一万元 (interest of 10,000 yuan).
利息 is distinct from 利润 (profit) and 利益 (benefit/interest). The 利 family of words all relate to financial gain: 利息 (interest on money), 利润 (business profit), 利率 (interest rate), 利益 (benefit/interest in a broad sense).
Memory Hook
利 relates to "benefit/profit" and 息 means "breath/rest" -- 利息 is money that grows while your principal "rests" in the bank, profit that breathes and multiplies on its own.