To Save Up
To Store, To Accumulate Something
transitive verb, ichidan verb
This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means savings, so the verb vocab version means to save up, to store, or to accumulate something valuable.
貯める is used when you're saving up something useful over time — typically money, loyalty points, or airline miles, for example, but sometimes water and other resources too.
This word uses the kun'yomi reading for 貯, which you haven't learned yet, so here's a mnemonic to help you out:
You have to save up for tacos (た). Not only are tacos more expensive these days, you also have a horrible taco addiction that you need to plan ahead and save for every month.
お金を貯める
to save money
ポイントを貯める
to collect points
資金を貯める
to save up funds
水を貯める
to store water
こつこつ貯める
to save up little by little
少し貯める
to save a little
しっかり貯める
to save diligently
自分で貯める
to save up on your own
アルバイトで貯める
to save up by working part-time
数年で貯める
to save up over several years
このお金は、未来の自分のために貯めるの。
I'm saving this money for my future self.
えっ、ハネムーン旅行のためにマイルを貯めてるんですか？
Oh, you're saving up miles for your honeymoon trip?
日本人って本当にポイント貯めるのが好きだよね。
Japanese people really love collecting reward points, don't they?