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-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 9 mins (2005-06-29 04:17:53 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
権利金 is kind of like a deposit, only you don¥'t necessarily get it back after you return the rented property (whether it be real estate or equipment). Almost like a service fee. Don¥'t know if that helps...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 21 mins (2005-06-29 04:29:13 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Maybe ¥"holding fee¥" or ¥"acknowledgement fee¥" explains it better... a non-refundable one. Almost like ¥"under-the-table¥" money. Not to say that these are translations to be used in this context. =)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs 38 mins (2005-06-29 09:46:37 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Another suggestion is ¥"non-refundable security deposit.¥"
Since this word in Japanese is usually used in the context of renting an apartment as humbird has explained above, I¥'ll give an example in those terms and maybe someone will find a more appropriate English term for it.
Once you find an apartment you want to lease, you usually put down a holding deposit to ¥"hold¥" the apartment until your lease is approved. 権利金 is very similar to this holding deposit (also called ¥"key money¥" or ¥"key deposit¥" as Saiwai has suggested), except you do not get it back/refunded -- it is considered a ¥"gift¥" or a ¥"thank you¥" to the landlord/landowner for approving the lease and letting you rent the apartment.
In the US, I am pretty sure that this practice is illegal in most states, which is one reason I think it will be difficult to come up with the ¥"perfect translation.¥" Your holding deposit goes towards security deposit (most or all is refunded upon expiration of the lease and vacating the premises) or towards actual rent.
As cinefil states, 礼金 is pretty much a synonym. This particular term is also often used in cases of renting property, but also in other contexts, such as when paying a surgeon extra money (under the table) for a successful surgery. It¥'s a lot like tipping your waiter for good service, only in more ¥"professional¥" environments.
In any case, the most important aspect to remember is that 権利金 is money that you pay that is separate from actual rental fees that is non-refundable. I agree with Saiwai that ¥"key deposit¥" is the most common term used in English, but if the company rents equipment rather than property, you may need to find something a little different.
I think it is evident from everyone's answers that 権利金 can possibly mean several different things, especially when there is no adjective or identifier in front of it to give more detail. For that reason I used the word "concessions" and included notes to the client as follows:
A. Concession: [the value of] a usually exclusive right to undertake and profit by a specified activity (a concession to build a canal) (conflicting concessions in the oil fields) [this could be patent rights, licenses, rights to use, do, or sell something, etc.]
B. Some kind of deposit (type unspecified) that the company has paid for equipment, real estate, leases, etc., or the right to use the said equipment, etc. Could also be a kind of holding deposit.
Thanks, everyone. 2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
To answer your question; ۏ؋ is different from ~. The latter is a sort of safety deposit therefore it could be returned to you. The former is less likely. In fact this is a peculiar custom in Japan. Out of space -- rest is in my answer addition.
Explanation: 権利金 (けんりきん) means a premium, key money
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 51 mins (2005-06-29 03:59:19 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Dear Conejo,
無形固定資産 is intangible fixed assets and these are
電話加入権 = NTT permission-to-procure-a-phone-line
水道施設利用権 = Athorized use of water supply
権利金 = Premium or key money
保険料 is insurance premium.
I think 権利金 is the premium or key money for athorized use of above service.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 9 mins (2005-06-29 04:17:53 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
権利金 is kind of like a deposit, only you don¥'t necessarily get it back after you return the rented property (whether it be real estate or equipment). Almost like a service fee. Don¥'t know if that helps...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 21 mins (2005-06-29 04:29:13 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Maybe ¥"holding fee¥" or ¥"acknowledgement fee¥" explains it better... a non-refundable one. Almost like ¥"under-the-table¥" money. Not to say that these are translations to be used in this context. =)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 6 hrs 38 mins (2005-06-29 09:46:37 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Another suggestion is ¥"non-refundable security deposit.¥"
Since this word in Japanese is usually used in the context of renting an apartment as humbird has explained above, I¥'ll give an example in those terms and maybe someone will find a more appropriate English term for it.
Once you find an apartment you want to lease, you usually put down a holding deposit to ¥"hold¥" the apartment until your lease is approved. 権利金 is very similar to this holding deposit (also called ¥"key money¥" or ¥"key deposit¥" as Saiwai has suggested), except you do not get it back/refunded -- it is considered a ¥"gift¥" or a ¥"thank you¥" to the landlord/landowner for approving the lease and letting you rent the apartment.
In the US, I am pretty sure that this practice is illegal in most states, which is one reason I think it will be difficult to come up with the ¥"perfect translation.¥" Your holding deposit goes towards security deposit (most or all is refunded upon expiration of the lease and vacating the premises) or towards actual rent.
As cinefil states, 礼金 is pretty much a synonym. This particular term is also often used in cases of renting property, but also in other contexts, such as when paying a surgeon extra money (under the table) for a successful surgery. It¥'s a lot like tipping your waiter for good service, only in more ¥"professional¥" environments.
In any case, the most important aspect to remember is that 権利金 is money that you pay that is separate from actual rental fees that is non-refundable. I agree with Saiwai that ¥"key deposit¥" is the most common term used in English, but if the company rents equipment rather than property, you may need to find something a little different.
Good luck! =)
aira07 Local time: 06:49 Native speaker of: Japanese, English PRO pts in category: 2
Grading comment
I think it is evident from everyone's answers that 権利金 can possibly mean several different things, especially when there is no adjective or identifier in front of it to give more detail. For that reason I used the word "concessions" and included notes to the client as follows:
A. <From Merriam-Webster:> Concession: [the value of] a usually exclusive right to undertake and profit by a specified activity (a concession to build a canal) (conflicting concessions in the oil fields) [this could be patent rights, licenses, rights to use, do, or sell something, etc.]
B. Some kind of deposit (type unspecified) that the company has paid for equipment, real estate, leases, etc., or the right to use the said equipment, etc. Could also be a kind of holding deposit.
Thanks, everyone.
Explanation: You said "Should it be something like Options, or Rights?"
Neither. It is not an option. The renter has no choice. If (s)he wants that property then it is an obligation.
Well, take it back .... It's in a way a right, nonetheless it is an obligation. An obligation to secure the right to get the lease.
Accoding to 広辞苑, 権利金 means 不動産の賃貸借に際し、賃借権設定の対価として、賃借人から賃貸人に支払われる金銭.
So the key word is 賃借権設定の対価. Thus my translation.
Eijiro (ALC) says "concession money // foregift // key money", but as you said these don't make much sense in AE (don't know much about BE).
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 1 hr 8 mins (2005-06-29 04:16:04 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I am not saying this is formal translation.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs 23 mins (2005-06-29 15:31:28 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
As I said in your ¥"ask the asker¥" column, 敷金 and 権利金 is entirely different matter (at least to the eyes of the renter). The former¥'s equivalent in America is ¥"safety deposit¥", however the latter I am not familiar with this practice in nearly 30 years living here in the US (or I am simply ignorant about this).
The former could be returned to you upon your vacating the property if it is still in very good condition after possible wear and tear, the latter more likely not, because you are required to purchase the ¥"renting right¥", and upon your vacating, the right has expired. If I am not wrong with this, this might be quite peculiar practice in Japan.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 hrs 31 mins (2005-06-29 15:39:32 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I said 保証金 is different from 敷金 in the ask the asker section. Please read 保証金 as 権利金.
Like I said this is peculairly Japanese, we must be very careful not to use standard words which already exist in AE or even BE environment.
humbird United States Local time: 06:49 Native speaker of: Japanese, English PRO pts in category: 12
The translation workplace 
