Investment is putting money, time, or effort into something now with the hope of getting more back later. When your parents buy stocks or real estate, they're making financial investments, hoping the value will grow over time. When you spend hours practicing piano instead of playing video games, you're investing time in a skill that will pay off in the future.

An investor is someone who makes investments.

Financial investments include buying stocks, bonds, or property. But the concept is broader: when a company invests in new equipment, they're spending money now to make their business more profitable later. When a town invests in a new library, they're spending tax money to create something valuable for the community's future.

You can also invest in relationships by spending time with friends and family, or invest in your education by studying hard. These aren't about money, but they follow the same principle: giving something valuable now to create something better later. Good investments require patience. An investor in a tech company might wait years before seeing returns. A student investing in learning multiplication tables might not see the payoff until algebra class years later. The key is believing that what you're putting in now will be worth more than what you're giving up.