About the differences between 貯金 and 節約


As the title says, I would like to know differences between 貯金{ちょきん} and
節約{せつやく}. Both mean "saving money" and have the irregular する verb ending:

> 貯金する{ちょきんする} : To save money
>
> 節約する{せつやくする} : To save money

From what I understand by reading example sentences, 節約{せつやく} has a more
general meaning and can be used with anything to save like water, food,
money...

Is 貯金 only usable with a _money_ context? Are there any differences between
the two of them when they are used in a _money_ context?




貯金 = to put money in the bank or a piggy bank or envelope.

節約 = to avoid spending money (i.e., to make food rather than eat out)

Both of these are [漢語]{かんご} (Chinese words in Japanese).

貯金 follows a verb-object pattern. Thus,

[code]

     貯(v) store  金(object) - money
    
[/code]

節約 follows a duplication pattern:

[code]

     節(v)  -save 約 - save
    
[/code]

So you can do lots of things to 節約, but if you are talking about water, people
say [節水]{せっすい} or about electricity [節電]{せつでん}. In those cases, it means
"reduce use of X"




貯金 = to put money in the bank or a piggy bank or envelope.

節約 = to avoid spending money (i.e., to make food rather than eat out)

Both of these are [漢語]{かんご} (Chinese words in Japanese).

貯金 follows a verb-object pattern. Thus,

[code]

     貯(v) store  金(object) - money
    
[/code]

節約 follows a duplication pattern:

[code]

     節(v)  -save 約 - save
    
[/code]

So you can do lots of things to 節約, but if you are talking about water, people
say [節水]{せっすい} or about electricity [節電]{せつでん}. In those cases, it means
"reduce use of X"

