A bond is really just a loan.
When you buy a bond,
you're lending money to the government
or company that issued it.
They'll give you regular interest payments
in return for the loan of the money,
and the issuer should pay
you back the original amount
at the end of the term,
which is known as the maturity date.
Like most investments,
there is always a chance that you won't be
repaid your original investment,
but bonds are still a lower risk way
to invest when compared to equities
or company shares.