Chinese Conversation · Level 4
88 words
Chinese word
付
Pronunciation
Pinyinfù
Meaning
- verbpay
Example
你今天能把电费付了吗？nǐ jīn tiān néng bǎ diàn fèi fù le ma
Can you pay the electricity bill today?
More examples
我可以用信用卡付吗？wǒ ké yǐ yòng xìn yòng kǎ fù ma
Can I pay with a credit card?
Core concept
Transfers something into another person's hands, whether it is an object or money owed.
Common phrases
付钱fù qián
pay money
付电费fù diàn fèi
pay the electric bill
付现金fù xiàn jīn
pay with cash
付房租fù fáng zū
pay the rent
Similar words
给gěi: Hand money or an object to another person.
交jiāo: Hand over money owed to an office, school, or organization.
支付zhī fù: Make a formal payment for a charge, cost, or fee.
Definition in Chinese
将某物交到别人手中，或表示支付款项、付出费用的动作。jiāng mǒu wù jiāo dào bié rén shǒu zhōng huò biǎo shì zhī fù kuǎn xiàng fù chū fèi yòng de dòng zuò
Word origin
付 (fù, "pay; hand over") combines 亻 (rén, "person") + 寸 (cùn, "hand"), reflecting the older idea of placing something into another person's hands before the payment sense developed.
Usage tips
- English can separate paying from physically handing anything over, but Chinese uses this verb for many routine payments even when the transfer is electronic.