租金

• Pinyin: zū jīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 租 = 禾 (grain) + 且 (phonetic), originally grain tax; 金 = metal/gold/money

Meaning

Rent; rental fee; the payment for leasing property or equipment.

The monetary payment for renting apartments, commercial spaces, vehicles, equipment, etc. A key term in real estate and business contexts. Often discussed in terms of monthly amounts and increases.

Examples

1. 北京核心地段的商铺租金每月高达数万元，小商家很难承受。 Shop rents in Beijing's core areas reach tens of thousands of yuan per month — small businesses can hardly afford it.
2. 他每个月要把一半的工资用来支付租金，压力确实不小。 He has to spend half his salary on rent every month; the pressure is considerable.
3. 房东通知下个月租金要涨百分之十，我们正在考虑换个地方住。 The landlord notified that rent will increase by ten percent next month — we're considering moving somewhere else.

Usage Guide

Context: real estate, business, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这里的租金是多少？(What's the rent here?)
• 租金包含水电费吗？(Does the rent include utilities?)

Don't Say

• 我付了书的租金。(For borrowing books, use 借 not 租, so there's no 租金)

Origin & History

Compound of 租 (to rent, to lease) and 金 (gold, money). Together they denote the monetary payment for renting.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal