Japanese word of the day: 家賃 (Yachin)

What does 家賃 (Yachin) mean?

家賃 (Yachin) (noun) — Rent; the money you pay (usually every month) to live in a house, apartment, or any rented space. In Japan, 家賃 refers specifically to the payment for using residential or commercial property, not for things like cars or equipment

Kanji details for 家 and 賃

Character: 家 — house, home, family, professional, expert, performer
Radical: roof 宀

Character: 賃 — fare, fee, hire, rent, wages, charge
Radical: shell 貝

Example sentences with 家賃 (Yachin)

• 家賃は月いくらですか。
  (Yachin wa tsuki ikura desu ka?)
  💴 How much is the rent per month? 

• 今月の家賃を払うのを忘れた。
  (Kongetsu no yachin o harau no o wasureta.)
  😅 I forgot to pay my rent this month.

• 来月から家賃を値上げします。
  (Raigetsu kara yachin o neage shimasu.)
  📈 We will increase the rent next month.

家賃 (Yachin) in context

家賃 is a word you’ll hear and use a lot if you’re living, working, or apartment-hunting in Japan. It’s always about the payment for using a building or room—never for renting things like cars or tools . When searching for a new place, the first question is often “家賃はいくら？” (“What’s the rent?”), since it’s usually the biggest monthly expense.

If you’re splitting costs with roommates, you might say “家賃の半分を払う” (“pay half the rent”). If you’re late, you’ll hear about “家賃滞納” (rent arrears). And if your landlord raises the price, you’ll get a notice about a “家賃の値上げ” (rent increase).