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March 24, 2026
賠péi(pei2)
The character 賠 (péi) means to compensate or to pay damages, typically in a financial context. It is often used when someone is responsible for covering losses or damages incurred by another person or entity, such as in legal situations or insurance claims.
Strokes15Radical貝Frequency#68597DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of compensation (賠) is significant in social and business interactions, especially regarding maintaining relationships and trust. Failing to compensate appropriately can lead to loss of face and strained relationships.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing at a counter, holding a stack of money, while another person looks disappointed. The character 賠 resembles a person (the radical 貝, meaning 'money') being compelled to pay (the part 賠) for a mistake. This visual helps recall that 賠 relates to financial compensation.
Meanings of 賠
péi(pei2)
1to compensate, to pay damages, to suffer a loss
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 賠
賠Simplified
15Strokes
貝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 賠
Podcast: 賠
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AI Study Notes for 賠
Quick Contrast
賠 (péi) vs 退 (tuì) — use 賠 when referring specifically to compensation for damages, while 退 is used for refunds or returns.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing at a counter, holding a stack of money, while another person looks disappointed. The character 賠 resembles a person (the radical 貝, meaning 'money') being compelled to pay (the part 賠) for a mistake. This visual helps recall that 賠 relates to financial compensation.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 賠 with similar-sounding characters, such as 陪 (péi), which means 'to accompany.' It's important to use 賠 in contexts involving financial loss or compensation. Be mindful of the tone; mispronouncing it can change meanings.
HSK Study Tips
Although 賠 is not included in the standard HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other terms about money and responsibility at this level. Students should focus on its usage in legal or financial contexts to better understand its applications.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of compensation (賠) is significant in social and business interactions, especially regarding maintaining relationships and trust. Failing to compensate appropriately can lead to loss of face and strained relationships.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 賠 in non-compensatory contexts, such as saying '我賠你去' (I compensate you to go), where they should use 陪 (péi) instead. Correctly, it should be '我陪你去' (I accompany you).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 賠
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Cultural Notes for 賠
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of compensation (賠) is significant in social and business interactions, especially regarding maintaining relationships and trust. Failing to compensate appropriately can lead to loss of face and strained relationships.
Word Family of 賠
Words Containing This Character17
赔偿péichángto compensate賠償
赔péito indemnify賠
索赔suǒpéito claim damages索賠
赔偿金compensation賠償金
理赔to settle a claim理賠
赔钱péiqiánto lose money賠錢
赔付to pay out賠付
赔款reparations賠款
赔罪to apologize賠罪
赔本loss賠本
赔不是to apologize賠不是
赔礼to make amends賠禮
赔笑to smile apologetically or obsequiously賠笑
赔了夫人又折兵having given away a bride, to lose one's army on top of it (idiom)賠了夫人又折兵
包赔guarantee to pay compensations包賠
倒赔to sustain loss in trade倒賠
赔小心to be conciliatory or apologetic賠小心
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 赔偿 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 賠
賠 is the traditional form and is used in formal contexts, while 赔 is the simplified version commonly used in mainland China.
Generally, 賠 is specific to financial compensation; however, it can metaphorically apply to any situation where one 'pays' for a mistake.
