掏钱

• Pinyin: tāo qián
• Hanzi breakdown: 掏 = 扌(hand) + 匋 (pottery, phonetic); 钱 = 钅(metal) + 戋 (phonetic)

Meaning

To pay; to shell out money; to foot the bill.

A colloquial expression for paying money, literally meaning 'to dig out money' from a pocket or wallet. Often implies reluctance or emphasizes the act of actually spending. Common in everyday transactions.

Examples

1. 每次聚餐都是他掏钱，大家都挺不好意思的。 He pays every time we have a group dinner — everyone feels a bit awkward about it.
2. 这次旅行全程有人赞助，我们根本不用自己掏钱。 This entire trip was sponsored, so we didn't have to spend a dime ourselves.
3. 说起让他掏钱，他那张脸立马就拉下来了。 The moment you mention having him pay, his face immediately drops.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, shopping, socializing

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 这顿饭我来掏钱。(I'll pay for this meal.)
• 让你掏钱真是过意不去。(I feel bad making you pay.)

Don't Say

• 在正式商务场合说'掏钱' (Don't say 掏钱 in formal business settings — use 支付 or 付款 instead)

Origin & History

掏 means to scoop out or dig into (a pocket), 钱 means money — literally 'fishing money out of one's pocket.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal