赔

• Pinyin: péi
• Hanzi breakdown: 赔 = 贝 (shell/money) + 咅 (phonetic), to compensate/lose money

Meaning

To compensate; to lose money; to suffer a loss. Making amends or incurring financial loss.

Used for financial compensation (赔偿), business losses (赔钱/赔本), and apologies (赔礼道歉). Can indicate either paying compensation to others or suffering one's own losses in business or investments.

Examples

1. 那家店赔了很多钱，最后倒闭了。 That store lost a lot of money and eventually closed down.
2. 他打碎了邻居家的窗户，得赔一块新玻璃。 He broke the neighbor's window and has to pay for a new piece of glass.
3. 这笔投资让我赔了不少。 This investment made me lose quite a bit.

Usage Guide

Context: business, compensation, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这笔生意赔了还是赚了？(Did this deal lose or make money?)
• 弄坏了东西要赔。(You have to pay for things you break.)

Don't Say

• 我赔他很开心。(赔 is for compensation/loss, not emotions — this doesn't make sense)

Origin & History

Pictophonetic: 贝 (shell/money) + 咅 (phonetic). Related to money and compensation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal