noun
pawn; pawned article
Refers to an item left at a pawnshop as collateral for a loan. Often used in the phrase 質に入れる (to pawn).
See also: 質に入れる (しちにいれる)
時計を質に入れてお金を借りた。
I pawned my watch and borrowed money.
この指輪は質に取られている。
This ring is being held as a pawn.
noun
Abstract sense: something given as a guarantee or security for a promise or obligation. Less common than the pawnshop sense.
彼は誠意の質として印鑑を預けた。
He left his seal as a pledge of good faith.
質屋 is a pawnshop, while 質 is the pawned item or the act of pawning.
担保 is a more formal term for collateral or security, often used in financial contexts, while 質 is specifically for pawnbroking.
The kanji 質 originally means 'substance' or 'quality', but in this reading しち it takes on the specialized meaning of pawn or pledge. The exact derivation is uncertain, but it may stem from the idea of something of value being held as a guarantee.