The Meaning of hensai [返済] In Japanese

返済
へんさい
Romaji: hensai N4

What does 返済 mean?

Translation and Meaning

repayment, to repay

Definition

返済 means repayment of money owed or debts. It refers to the act of paying back funds to settle a loan, mortgage, credit card balance, or similar obligation, often in scheduled installments and within agreed terms.

Type

Noun (suru-verb)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Repayment of borrowed money, typically in installments.
  • The act of paying back a loan, credit, or debt; can be expressed as 返済する.
  • Commonly used in phrases referring to repayment amount and schedule, such as 返済額 or 返済期間.

Etymology

返済 combines 返 meaning to return or repay and 済 meaning to finish or settle; the reading hensai comes from the on’yomi of both characters.

Composition

  • 返: to return, repay
  • 済: to finish, settle
  • Together they express the act of returning funds to finish settling a debt

Usage

Used in formal finance contexts and everyday financial discussions to refer to repaying debt or obligations; typically as a noun, often used with verbs like する or in compounds such as 返済計画 or 返済期間; in bank documents you will see 返済開始, 返済終了.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine returning money to finish a debt; the left component 返 resembles a hand returning something, while 済 conveys a finished seal—together they cue the idea of returning funds to finish an obligation.

Variations

  • 償還 (しょうかん, shoukan) — redemption or repayment in bonds/loans
  • 完済 (かんさい, kansai) — fully paid off; debt settled
  • 支払う (しはらう, shiharau) — to pay; broader term for payment

Example Phrases

  • 来週、カードの返済を忘れずに済ませる。
    Raishū, kādo no hensai o wasurazu ni sumaseru.
    Next week, be sure to take care of your credit card payment.
    Lista:
    • 来週 (raishū) – next week
    • カード (kādo) – card
    • の (no) – of
    • 返済 (hensai) – repayment
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 忘れずに (wasurazu ni) – without forgetting
    • 済ませる (sumaseru) – to finish
    「返済」は名詞で、ここでは card の返済を指す。 The phrase 「を済ませる」 means to finish/settle, and 「忘れずに」 means ‘without forgetting’.
返済