支付

• Pinyin: zhī fù
• Hanzi breakdown: 支 = 十 (ten) + 又 (hand); 付 = 亻(person) + 寸 (inch/measure)

Meaning

Pay; make a payment. A somewhat formal term for paying or disbursing money.

More formal than 付 alone and commonly used in financial, business, and digital payment contexts. Frequently appears in modern compound words like 支付宝 (Alipay) and 移动支付 (mobile payment). Often used in written or official contexts rather than casual speech, where 付 or 给钱 might be preferred.

Examples

1. 你可以用手机支付。 You can pay with your phone.
2. 这个月的房租已经支付了。 This month's rent has already been paid.
3. 他用现金支付了午饭的费用。 He paid for the lunch in cash.

Usage Guide

Context: business, shopping, finance

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请问可以用手机支付吗？(May I ask, can I pay by phone?)
• 公司会支付所有的差旅费用。(The company will pay all travel expenses.)

Don't Say

• 我支付他一杯咖啡。(Don't use 支付 for casual treats — say 请他喝一杯咖啡 instead; 支付 is for formal monetary transactions)

Origin & History

支 (disburse, allocate) + 付 (pay, hand over). Together they mean 'to allocate and hand over payment.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal