to compensate, to pay damages, to suffer a loss

JLPT N5 12 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of (péi)

The character primarily means "to compensate" or "to pay damages." It is commonly used in contexts involving financial or material compensation for losses or damages caused by accidents, mistakes, or disputes.

Common Collocations

  • (péi qián): to lose money or pay money as compensation.
  • 赔偿损失 (péi cháng sǔn shī): to compensate for losses.
  • 道歉 (péi lǐ dào qiàn): to apologize and make amends.

Notes

is often used in legal or formal contexts but can also appear in everyday speech when discussing compensation. It usually involves a tangible loss or damage. Avoid confusing with similar verbs like (to pay) which is more general and does not imply compensation.

When using , the object is typically the loss or damage, and the subject is the party responsible for compensating. The phrase can also be used metaphorically to describe suffering losses beyond money, such as relationships or opportunities.

Example Sentences

He paid a lot of money in compensation because of the car accident.

The company compensated the customer's loss.

He lost both his wife and soldiers, suffering heavy losses.