Meaning and Usage
"払う" primarily means "to pay" money or debts, but it also has a physical sense of "brushing off" or "removing" something like dust or dirt. It is a common verb used in everyday situations involving transactions or cleaning.
Common Collocations and Patterns
- 代金を払う (だいきんをはらう): to pay a bill or fee
- 借金を払う (しゃっきんをはらう): to pay off a debt
- ほこりを払う: to brush off dust
Register and Politeness
"払う" is a neutral verb and can be used in both casual and polite contexts. For polite speech, use the -ます form (払います).
Tips for Learners
Be careful not to confuse "払う" with "支払う" (しはらう), which is a more formal synonym often used in business contexts. Also, remember that "払う" can refer to both paying money and physically removing something, so context is important to understand the meaning.