Price elasticity 価格弾力性

[sergiop]

Hi folks: since I am an economist, I bought a microeconomics textbook in Japanese. A basic concept we use all the time is “price elasticity”: 価格弾力性. I get that 価格 is price and that 弾力 is elasticity but I do not understand the role of 性. Is 性 some sort of suffix like 的? If yes, what other words use 性 as “suffix” ?
Thanks for any help.

[d-hermit]

It’s used to nominalize a word. I think 性 is often used with terms like this.

So in English you say the price is elastic but the noun is “elasticity”. That’s the same thing.

[Buddycat2]

Interesting question. I’d like to understand the role of that kanji too…

[Saida]

可能性 possibility is another one

[d-hermit]

Many example on Jisho (just search for “*性”):
https://jisho.org/search/*%E6%80%A7

[Pep95]

Since 性 is translated by Wanikani as “nature”, I usually think of a ~性 suffix as being translated as something’s “… nature”.

So basically
Elastic → The twig’s elastic nature → The twig’s elasticity

[jneapan]

@Pep95

Since 性 is translated by Wanikani as “nature”, I usually think of a ~性 suffix as being translated as something’s “… nature”.

Right off the top of my head another use of 性 in the way is to turn 必要 (necessary) into 必要性
(necessity). There’s other examples of this use to turn adjectives into nouns.

[Pep95]

That also fits right?

Necessary → The plan’s necessary nature → The plan’s necessity

[jneapan]

Yeah, I was sjust reinforcing your argument with another example

[Pep95]

Ah sorry misunderstood your point.

[sergiop]

Many thanks y’all for all the help! Community is one of the best parts of WK! Now I can make better sense of terms like 可能性 and many others!