偿 (cháng) - to repay & to compensate

偿Tone 2

cháng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

偲嫦

偿 · cháng

to repay;

to compensate;

to fulfill;

to make up for;

to reimburse.

to repayto compensateto fulfill

Usage highlights

To repay a debtTo compensate for a lossTo fulfill a wishTo get what one deservesCompensationTo pay back

Synonyms

  • 还— to return; to repay
  • 赔— to compensate; to pay for
  • 补— to make up for; to supplement

Antonyms

  • 欠— to owe; to be deficient
  • 借— to borrow

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He must repay the debt (偿还债务).
  • The company will compensate for the loss (赔偿损失).
  • She fulfilled her long-cherished wish (偿了夙愿).
  • They made up for their mistake (补偿过错).

Collocations

  • To repay a debt(偿还债务)
  • To compensate for a loss(赔偿损失)
  • To fulfill a wish(偿愿)
  • To get what one deserves(得不偿失)
  • Compensation(补偿)
  • To pay back(偿付)

Idioms

  • The loss outweighs the gain(得不偿失)
  • To pay a debt of blood(偿血债)
  • To get one's revenge(偿怨)
  • To fulfill a long-cherished desire(偿夙愿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character embodies the Confucian value of reciprocity and fulfilling one's obligations.
  • It is often used in legal and financial contexts concerning debt and compensation.
  • The concept of 'repayment' extends metaphorically to moral and emotional debts in literature.

FAQ