涙なみだ金きん

also: なみだかね

な

み

だ

き

ん

Meanings

noun

consolation money; token compensation

A small sum of money given as a gesture of sympathy or to smooth over a problem, often implying it is inadequate or merely symbolic. The literal meaning is 'tear money'.

事じ故この示じ談だん金きんは涙なみだ金きん程てい度どだった。
The settlement money for the accident was just a token amount.
会かい社しゃは解かい雇こした社しゃ員いんに涙なみだ金きんを渡わたした。
The company gave the fired employee a small consolation payment.

Kanji

涙tears, sympathy
金gold

Related words

見み舞まい金きん
見舞金 is a more neutral term for a sympathy or get-well gift of money, without the connotation of being a paltry sum.
慰い謝しゃ料りょう
慰謝料 is a legal term for compensation for emotional distress, often larger and more formal than 涙金.

Built from

涙なみだ+金きん

Written forms

涙金Usage100%
- なみだきん
  Standard kanji spelling.
- なみだかね
  out-dated reading
  Obsolete reading; it is out-dated kana usage.
なみだかね
out-dated reading

Etymology

Compound of 涙 (tears) and 金 (money), literally 'tear money'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the idea of money given to wipe away tears or as a small gesture to console someone.