tunnusluku

Tunnusluku is a Finnish term with two related senses. In everyday administrative and data contexts, it denotes a numerical code or identifier that uniquely identifies a person, organization, or item within a system. Examples include the personal identity number (henkilötunnus) and the business registration number (yritystunnus), which are used for identification, record-keeping, and official interactions.

In information systems, tunnusluku can also refer more generally to a code used to access a service or to identify a user, depending on the context. The exact meaning is not fixed by the word alone and is shaped by the domain in which it appears.

In statistics and economics, tunnusluku (plural tunnusluvut) means a key figure or indicator that summarizes a phenomenon. These indicators describe development and enable comparisons over time or across sectors. Common examples include growth rates, unemployment rates, average wages, and productivity measures. Public statistics agencies, companies, and researchers publish tunnusluvut to provide concise snapshots of complex data.

The term therefore covers both concrete identifiers used in registries and logins, and abstract numerical indicators used to communicate economic and social trends. Understanding which sense applies depends on the surrounding text and field of use.