written pledge; memorandum; signed assurance
A formal written document in which one party promises or confirms something, often used in legal, business, or official contexts. Can range from a simple signed note to a more formal instrument.
Let's exchange a written pledge before the contract.
He was made to write a memorandum of the debt.
He wrote a written pledge stating that he would repay the debt.
Just to be safe, we decided to get a written pledge from the other party.
Instead of a verbal agreement, both sides exchanged written pledges.
She signed the written pledge.
誓約書 emphasizes a formal sworn oath or pledge of conduct, while 念書 is a broader term for any signed written assurance.
証書 is a certificate or bond attesting to a fact or right, while 念書 specifically records a promise or pledge made to someone.
Used for documents and written communications; this is the conventional counter for a written pledge/memorandum.
Compound of 念 (ねん, 'thought, care') and 書 (しょ, 'document'), literally a 'document of care/assurance'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a written pledge.