礼れい金きん

れ

い

き

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

monetary gift; reward money; honorarium

Money given as thanks, reward, or fee for a service. Often used for honorariums or gratuities.

講こう演えんの礼れい金きんを受うけ取とる。
Receive an honorarium for a lecture.
お世せ話わになった医い師しに礼れい金きんを包つつんだ。
I gave a monetary gift to the doctor who took care of me.

2

key money; rental rights fee

A non-refundable payment to the landlord when renting an apartment in Japan, distinct from a security deposit.

この物ぶっ件けんは礼れい金きんが一いっヶか月げつ分ぶんかかる。
This property requires one month's rent as key money.
礼れい金きんなしのアパートを探さがしている。
I'm looking for an apartment with no key money.

See all 13 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

礼れい金きんを払はらうto pay key money
このアパートは礼れい金きんを一いっヶか月げつ分ぶん払はらう必ひつ要ようがある。
For this apartment you need to pay one month's rent as key money.
礼れい金きんがかかるkey money is charged
この物ぶっ件けんには礼れい金きんがかかりません。
No key money is charged for this property.
礼れい金きんなしno key money required
礼れい金きんなしの部屋へやを探さがしている。
I'm looking for an apartment with no key money.
礼金れいきん〈数かず〉ヶ月分かげつぶんkey money equivalent to a certain number of months' rent
この地ち域いきでは礼れい金きん二にヶか月げつ分ぶんが一いっ般ぱん的てきだ。
In this area, key money equal to two months' rent is standard.
〈人ひと〉に礼れい金きんを渡わたすto give someone money as a token of thanks
お世せ話わになった先せん生せいに礼れい金きんを渡わたした。
I gave a monetary gift of thanks to the teacher who had helped me.

Kanji

礼salute, bow, ceremony
金gold

Related words

謝しゃ礼れい sense 1
謝礼 is the general term for a reward or fee for a service, while 礼金 more narrowly refers to a monetary gift of thanks or, in rental contexts, key money.
お礼れいN4sense 1
御礼 is a polite, everyday word for a gift or payment of thanks, while 礼金 is a slightly more formal or fixed monetary term used especially in business and rental contexts.
礼れいN3
礼金 is the full real-estate term for key money, while 礼 is the abbreviated form often seen in listings.

Don't confuse with

敷しき金きんN2sense 2
敷金 is a refundable security deposit paid when renting, whereas 礼金 is a non-refundable gift of money to the landlord, so the two are easily confused despite being opposite in refundability.
謝しゃ礼れい
礼金 refers specifically to key money paid to a landlord when renting a place, whereas 謝礼 is a general thank-you payment for a favor or service.

Etymology

From 礼 (rei, 'gratitude') + 金 (kin, 'money'). The rental sense developed from the practice of giving a monetary gift to the landlord as thanks for granting tenancy.