定金 dìngjīn down payment
down payment; advance payment
How to remember 定金: 定 decide + 金 gold = down payment.
Characters
How it is used
- A deposit / down payment that secures a purchase or booking - 付定金 (fù dìngjīn) pay a deposit.
- Legally distinct from 订金: 定金 is a binding earnest that you forfeit (or that's doubled against the seller) if the deal falls through, while 订金 is usually refundable.
- Common in real estate, custom orders, and reservations.