契約金

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 契約金 (けいやくきん) is a compound noun for a specific payment made under a contract.
• Basic usage: 契約金の使い道 concerns how an athlete will use the payment, while 契約金の半分が支払われる makes the portion paid after agreement the grammatical subject.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Context determines the type of contract payment
  • In an athlete context, 契約金 can be rendered as a signing bonus, but 合意後に契約金 in the second example does not by itself establish a sports bonus.