退款 (tuì kuǎn) — to refund; to reimburse

Definition

退款 is a verb-object phrase (离合词) meaning 'to refund money to a buyer or customer.' The 款 can separate, as in 退了款 or 退过一次款.

verb

to refundto reimburse

Examples

，退款。
Rú guǒ nín bù mǎn yì, kě yǐ shēn qǐng tuì kuǎn.
If you are not satisfied, you can apply for a refund.
。
Zhè jiā diàn yǐ jīng gěi wǒ tuì le kuǎn.
This store has already refunded me the money.
，。
Wǒ tuì guò yí cì kuǎn, guò chéng hěn jiǎn dān.
I have refunded once, and the process was very simple.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

退tuìreturn

款kuǎnmoney

退 (return) and 款 (money) combine to mean giving money back.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

皀皀jífood vessel
夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

欠欠qiànlacking, desire

Sound part声符shēngfú

柰

柰nài款kuǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

款 pairs 柰, a sound hint, with 欠, a part about lacking or desire.

Open 款 →

Appears in

Money & Currency Shopping & Errands