Archaic or literary term for a bribe. In modern Japanese, 賄賂 (わいろ) is the standard word. This form may appear in historical texts or classical literature.
Old documents record that a 'まいない' (bribe) was given.
Alternate historical kanji spelling; also rare.
Kana spelling; may be used when the kanji are obscure or for clarity.
Kanji spelling with okurigana; rare.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 賄 and 賂 both relate to goods or wealth, and the reading まいない is an old native Japanese word for bribery.