料金

• Reading: りょうきん
• Romaji: ryoukin
• Kanji breakdown: 料 (ryou) — fee, material; 金 (kin) — money, gold
• Pronunciation: /ɾʲoː.ki.n/

Meaning

Fee; charge; fare; rate. The cost for a service or usage.

A noun used for service-based charges such as transportation fares, utility bills, and admission fees. Distinguished from 値段 (price of goods) and 代金 (payment amount). Commonly appears in compounds like 入場料金 (admission fee) and 通話料金 (call charges).

Examples

1. 駐車場の料金は一時間500円です。 The parking fee is 500 yen per hour.
2. 携帯電話の料金を見直したい。 I want to review my cell phone charges.
3. この美術館は料金が無料の日がある。 This art museum has days when admission is free.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, services, utilities

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 料 (fee, material) and 金 (money, gold). The combination specifies money paid in exchange for services or usage, distinct from the price of physical goods.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal