Chinese word

违约金

Pronunciation

Pinyinwéi yuē jīn

Meaning

  • nounpenalty

Example

订票后退票要交违约金。dìng piào hòu tuì piào yào jiāo wéi yuē jīn

You have to pay a penalty if you cancel a ticket after booking it.

Illustration for 违约金 (penalty)

More examples

公司同意免除部分违约金。gōng sī tóng yì miǎn chú bù fèn wéi yuē jīn

The company agreed to waive part of the penalty.

Core concept

A sum written into an agreement that becomes due when one side breaks its promise.

Common phrases

  • 交违约金jiāo wéi yuē jīn

    pay a penalty

  • 支付违约金zhī fù wéi yuē jīn

    pay a penalty

  • 免除违约金miǎn chú wéi yuē jīn

    waive a penalty

Similar words

赔偿金péi cháng jīn: Money paid to compensate someone for damage or loss.
保证金bǎo zhèng jīn: Money deposited to guarantee performance of a deal, with possible return under the agreed conditions.
定金dìng jīn: An advance payment showing that a contract is accepted, which may not be returned after a breach.
罚款fá kuǎn: A payment imposed for breaking a law or rule.

Definition in Chinese

合同双方预先约定的，当一方不履行合同或违反约定时，由违约方向守约方支付的用于补偿损失或作为惩罚的金钱。hé tóng shuāng fāng yù xiān yuē dìng de dāng yì fāng bù lǚ xíng hé tóng huò wéi fǎn yuē dìng shí yóu wéi yuē fāng xiàng shǒu yuē fāng zhī fù de yòng yú bǔ cháng sǔn shī huò zuò wéi chéng fá de jīn qián

Word origin

违约金 (wéiyuējīn, "contract-breach money") combines 违约 (wéiyuē, "breach an agreement") with 金 (jīn, "money"), making a transparent compound for money owed after an agreement is broken.

Usage tips

  • Contract terms may set this amount as a fixed sum or a percentage, so the wording of the clause determines what is owed.

Other meanings

  • cancellation feenoun
  • damages for breachnoun

Related words

  • 违约wéi yuēbreach a contractverb
  • 违约责任wéi yuē zé rènliability for breach of contractnoun

Word lists with this word