賃金

• Reading: ちんぎん
• Romaji: chingin
• Kanji breakdown: 賃 (chin) — wages, rent, fare; 金 (kin) — money, gold, metal
• Pronunciation: /tɕiɴ.giɴ/

Meaning

Wages; pay. Monetary compensation received for labour, especially for hourly or manual work.

A noun used in formal, economic, and legal contexts. 賃金 refers specifically to payment for labour and is more formal than 給料 (salary). Common in discussions about labour rights, minimum wage (最低賃金), and economic policy. Frequently appears in compounds like 賃金格差 (wage gap) and 賃金交渉 (wage negotiations). Distinct from 報酬 (remuneration for professional services).

Examples

1. 最低賃金が来月から引き上げられる。 The minimum wage is being raised starting next month.
2. 賃金の未払いで会社が訴えられた。 The company was sued for unpaid wages.
3. 物価は上がっているのに賃金は据え置きのままだ。 Prices keep going up, but wages have stayed flat.

Usage Guide

Context: labour, economics, legal

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 賃 (chin, wages/rent/fare) + 金 (kin, money/gold). Literally 'wage money' — monetary compensation for services rendered.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal