Kohtuinen

Kohtuinen is a Finnish adjective meaning fair, reasonable, or moderate. It describes something that is in proper proportion to the circumstances, often referring to value, amount, or standard. Common collocations include kohtuullinen hinta (a reasonable price), kohtuullinen korvaus (a fair compensation), and kohtuullinen rangaistus (a moderate punishment). In everyday language, it is used to express that expectations, costs, or outcomes are sensible and appropriate.

In use, kohtuinen inflects like other Finnish adjectives and forms comparative and superlative degrees: kohtuullisempi and kohtuullisin. The adverbial form is kohtuullisesti. The noun form kohtuullisuus denotes the quality of being moderate or fair, while kohtuuttomuus denotes the opposite.

Etymology-wise, kohtuinen is connected to the root kohtu, which relates to measure or proportion, and to the broader concept of kohtuullisuus (moderation or reasonableness). The sense of acting with proper measure underpins the word’s typical contexts in finance, law, and everyday decision-making.

See also: kohtuullisuus, kohtuullistaa (to moderate or make reasonable), reilu (a more colloquial synonym for fair). Kohtuinen is typically used in contexts where outcomes are judged by their reasonableness and proportionality rather than by moral absolutes.