What does "Under the Table" mean?

Payment avoiding tax/records Secret payment, typically cash, to avoid taxes or official records.

How do you use "Under the Table" in a sentence?

Paid the builder under the table. Getting paid under the table.

Under the Table

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Payment avoiding tax/records

私下付款，逃税的支付

Pago en negro, por debajo de la mesa

裏で払う、税金逃れの支払い

뒷돈, 세금을 피한 지불

Secret payment, typically cash, to avoid taxes or official records.

为了逃避税收或官方记录而进行的秘密支付，通常用现金。

Pago secreto, normalmente en efectivo, para evitar impuestos o registros oficiales.

税金や公式記録を避けるための秘密の支払い。通常は現金で行われる。

세금이나 공식 기록을 피하기 위해 보통 현금으로 은밀히 지불하는 것을 뜻한다.

Examples

Paid the builder under the table.
私下付了建筑工的钱
Le pagué al albañil en negro
建築業者に裏で払った
시공업자에게 뒷돈으로 지불했다.
Getting paid under the table.
拿的是黑工资
Me pagan en negro
裏で給料をもらっている
뒷돈으로 급여를 받고 있다.

Pronunciation

/ˌʌndə ðə ˈteɪbəl/

Usage Guide

Context: tax avoidance

Tone: conspiratorial

✓ Do Say

Informal payments
非正式付款
Pagos informales
非公式な支払いの場面
비공식 지불

✗ Don't Say

Formal business
不适合用于正式商务
No se usa para negocios formales
正式なビジネスには不向き
공식 거래

Common Mistakes

Implies tax evasion

Origin & History

Image of passing money secretly under a table.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes

Pop culture: Cash economy

Regional notes: Universal.

Variations

Under the tableUnder-the-table