1.
small reward for running an errand; pocket money for a favor
A small amount of money or a treat given to someone, especially a child, as a reward for doing a small task or errand.
お使いの駄賃にアイスを買った。
I bought ice cream as a reward for running the errand.
子供に駄賃をやって手紙を届けさせた。
I gave the child a small reward and had them deliver a letter.
駄賃がもらえるからと喜んでお使いに行った。
Delighted at the prospect of a small reward, they happily went on the errand.
2.
packhorse fare; freight charge (historical)
Originally, the fee paid for transporting goods by packhorse. This historical sense survives mainly in set expressions.
江戸時代は馬の駄賃が決められていた。
In the Edo period, packhorse fares were fixed.
荷物の駄賃は重さで変わった。
The freight charge varied by weight.
宿場町では駄賃を払って荷物を次の宿まで運ばせた。
At post towns, people paid freight charges to have their luggage carried to the next inn.
Originally a transport term, now most commonly used for the small reward given to children for running errands. Has a warm, slightly nostalgic feel.
ETYMOLOGY:
駄 (packhorse) + 賃 (fare, charge). Originally the fee for hiring a packhorse to carry goods. Over time, the meaning shifted to any small payment for a simple task.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- お使いの駄賃: reward for running an errand
- 駄賃を稼ぐ: to earn a small reward
- 駄賃稼ぎ: earning pocket money through small tasks
RELATED TERMS:
- お小遣い: allowance, pocket money — regular and not tied to a specific task
- 報酬: reward, compensation — much more formal and for larger amounts