Money & Precious Metals in Japanese Kanji: 金 (Gold/Money), 銀 (Silver/Bank 銀行), 円 (Yen) & 良 (Good)
When 金 (Gold / Metal) moves to the left side of a kanji (釒— kanehen), every character it touches becomes a metal! Discover why 金 + 良 (Good) = 銀 (Silver / Bank 銀行) while cash is お金 (Gold) and 円 (Yen).
Travelers in Tokyo see 銀 (Silver — gin) everywhere: on every 銀行 (ginkō — Bank) sign and in the famous shopping district 銀座 (Ginza — literally 'The Silver Mint')! Why? Because in Edo-period Japan, silver bullion was the standard currency of merchants and banks.
Quick Comparison: 金 (Gold) vs. 銀 (Silver) vs. 良 (Good) vs. 円 (Yen, Round)
Compare Japan's four core money and metal kanjis below:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 金 — Gold | On: きん, こん Kun: かね, かな |
Roof hat over 王 (King) with 2 sparkling nuggets = GOLD / MONEY / METAL (kane / kin / kon). | お金 (おかね) — money |
| 銀 — Silver | On: ぎん Kun: — |
金 (Metal) on the left + 良 (Good) on the right = a good, gleaming metal (second only to gold) = SILVER (gin, as in 銀行 ginkō). | 銀 (ぎん) — (1) silver, silver coin... |
| 良 — Good | On: りょう Kun: よ, い |
A topped grain/radish with deep roots = GOOD (yoi / ii / ryō). | 良い (いい) — good |
| 円 — Yen, Round | On: えん Kun: — |
A rounded bank window/coin frame = YEN / CIRCLE / ROUND (en / marui). | 円 (えん) — circle / yen |
Side-by-Side Illustrated Kanji Flashcards (Tap Readings for Audio)
Compare the custom Shibashi artwork for 銀 (Silver) and 円 (Yen, Round) below. Notice how each illustration embeds both the English meaning and the primary Japanese reading directly into the scene, and tap any reading to hear native pronunciation:
Step-by-Step Visual Breakdown & Radical Rules
Notice how 銀 (Silver) is simply 金 (Metal) + 良 (Good):
1. 金 (Gold) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: きん, こん | Kun'yomi: かね, かな
Shibashi Visual Story: “King’s (きん) gold crown rests in a concrete (こん) enclosure with the calm neighbor (かね), Canada (かな).” Key visual distinction: Roof hat over 王 (King) with 2 sparkling nuggets = GOLD / MONEY / METAL (kane / kin / kon).
- お金 (おかね): money
- 代金 (だいきん): price, payment, cost, charge
- 金 (かね): (1) gold, (2) gold general (shogi) (abbr)
2. 銀 (Silver) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: ぎん | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “While gold-crown gives you all you can dream of, the silver crown means you should still log-in (ぎん) to work and eat daikons.” Key visual distinction: 金 (Metal) on the left + 良 (Good) on the right = a good, gleaming metal (second only to gold) = SILVER (gin, as in 銀行 ginkō).
- 銀 (ぎん): (1) silver, silver coin, silver paint
3. 良 (Good) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: りょう | Kun'yomi: よ, い
Shibashi Visual Story: “When Mr. Daikon started e-ating (い) Oreos (よ or りょう), he couldn’t believe how good they taste...” Key visual distinction: A topped grain/radish with deep roots = GOOD (yoi / ii / ryō).
- 良い (いい): good
4. 円 (Yen, Round) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: えん | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “A circle (円) represents a round shape or Japanese yen (えん).” Key visual distinction: A rounded bank window/coin frame = YEN / CIRCLE / ROUND (en / marui).
- 円 (えん): circle / yen
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 金 / 銀 / 良 / 円
Once you can recognize 金 (Gold) and 銀 (Silver) and 良 (Good) individually, lock them into your active reading vocabulary with these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| お金 | おかね | money | JLPT |
| 代金 | だいきん | price, payment, cost, charge | JLPT |
| 金 | かね | (1) gold, (2) gold general (shogi) (abbr) | JLPT |
| 銀 | ぎん | (1) silver, silver coin, silver paint | JLPT |
| 良い | いい | good | JLPT |
| 円 | えん | circle / yen | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 金 & 銀 & 良 Again
Alone, 金 is Gold/Money (お金 okane). Put 金 on the left of 良 (Good) and you get 銀 (Silver — 銀行 ginkō Bank). And every price tag in Japan ends with 円 (en — Yen / Circle)!
