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赔款 (péi kuǎn) — (verb) to pay reparations / indemnity; (noun) reparations, indemnity

Definition

Both a verb ('to pay reparations/indemnity') and a noun ('the reparations/indemnity itself'), typically used in formal, historical, or legal contexts like war indemnities.

verb
to pay reparations / indemnity
noun
reparationsindemnity

Examples

  • 赔款。
    Zhàn bài guó bì xū xiàng shòu hài guó péi kuǎn.
    The defeated country must pay reparations to the victim country.
  • 。
    Tā men qù nián péi le yí dà bǐ kuǎn.
    They paid a large sum of indemnity last year.
  • 赔款。
    Zhè bǐ péi kuǎn fēn shí nián huán qīng.
    This indemnity will be paid off over ten years.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

赔péicompensate
款kuǎnmoney

赔 indicates compensating, and 款 refers to money, together meaning pay reparations.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賠; 赔 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu賠péi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 賠, 貝 (shell; money) shows the idea of making amends, and 咅 supplies the sound; the simplified 赔 is a later shorthand.

Open 赔 →

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
Finance & BankingLaw & Justice

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