貯

音読おんよみ: チョ

訓読くんよみ: た-める

画数かくすう: 12

部首ぶしゅ: 貝（かいへん）

Meaning

Save / Store / Accumulate / Reserve

  • Basic forms
  • 貯める — to save; to store up / base form
  • 貯めます — save; store up / masu form
  • 貯めた — saved; stored up / ta form
  • 貯めて — save and … / te form
  • 貯めない — do not save / negative
  • 貯めれば — if (one) saves / conditional
  • 貯めろ・貯めよ — save! / imperative
  • Common expressions
  • お金を貯める — save money
  • 力を貯める — build up strength
  • 経験を貯める — accumulate experience
  • More
  • 貯められる — can save / potential
  • 貯めておく — save up in advance

貯める（ためる） is an ichidan verb. It means to deliberately store or accumulate something over time, especially money, resources, energy, or experience. The on-yomi チョ appears mainly in compound nouns such as 貯金 or 貯蓄.

  • 貯金ちょきん — savings
  • 貯蔵ちょぞう — storage; preservation
  • 貯蓄ちょちく — savings; accumulated funds
  • 貯留ちょりゅう — retention; impoundment
  • 貯水ちょすい — water storage; reservoir
  • 貯金箱ちょきんばこ — piggy bank

貯 is a phono-semantic compound: 貝 (shell/money) + 守 (phonetic チョ). It conveys “to protect/store valuables,” forming the base idea of saving and stockpiling.

毎月まいつき 少すこしずつ 貯金ちょきんしています。
I save a little each month.

ワインは 地下室ちかしつに 貯蔵ちょぞうされています。
The wine is stored in the cellar.

金
Creates
貯金ちょきん — savings
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