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退还 (tuì huán) — to return (something borrowed); to refund, to give a refund

Definition

退还 covers both senses in one verb: giving back something borrowed and refunding money for a purchase. Unlike 归还 (only 'return borrowed'), it also takes money/commercial contexts.

verb
to return (something borrowed)to refundto give a refund

Examples

  • 退还。
    Qǐng zài xià zhōu yī qián tuì huán tú shū guǎn de shū.
    Please return the library books before next Monday.
  • ，退还？
    Zhè ge shāng pǐn yǒu wèn tí, kě yǐ tuì huán ma?
    This product has a problem, can I return it for a refund?
  • ，退还。
    Tā shōu dào le cuò wù de shāng pǐn, mǎ shàng tuì huán le.
    He received the wrong product and returned it immediately.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

退tuìreturn
还háireturn

退 and 还 both mean return, together naming sending something 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 還; 还 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng還hái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 還 pairs 辵 (walk) with 睘 as a sound part for 'go back; return'; the simplified 还 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 还 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Business & CommerceShopping & Errands

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