賠 meaning and stroke order
To compensate, to pay damages, to suffer a loss
How to write 賠, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 賠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to compensate for loss
- to indemnify
- to suffer a financial loss
How 賠 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Money.
貝 gives the meaning and 咅 hints at the sound.
Radical: 貝 (sea shell), shared by 62 characters on this site.
How to remember 賠
賠 combines 貝 (shell, an old symbol of money) with 咅 (pǒu), which gives the sound. Think of handing over shells of money when you have to pay for damage you caused.
賠 (simplified 赔) is used both for paying someone back for a loss and for losing money yourself, as in 赔钱 (péiqián). In formal or legal contexts it usually appears in 赔偿 (péicháng), and insurance talk uses 理赔 (lǐpéi) and 索赔 (suǒpéi). Example: 这次生意我赔了很多钱。(Zhè cì shēngyì wǒ péi le hěn duō qián.) I lost a lot of money on this deal.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 賠 with 陪 (péi, to accompany), which has the same sound and the same right side 咅 but uses the ear radical 阝. If money or damages are involved, use 賠 with 貝.
Common words with 賠
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 賠
How many strokes are in 賠?
賠 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 賠 mean?
賠 (péi) means to compensate, to pay damages, to suffer a loss. A common word with it is 赔偿 (péicháng), meaning "to compensate".
How do you pronounce 賠?
賠 is pronounced péi, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 賠?
The radical of 賠 is 貝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 賠 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 賠?
賠 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 赔, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the opposite of 赔钱 (péiqián)?
The opposite is 赚钱 (zhuànqián), to earn or make money. People often pair them, as in 有赚有赔 (yǒu zhuàn yǒu péi), sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
How do I apologize using 賠?
Use the set phrase 赔不是 (péi búshi) or 赔礼道歉 (péilǐ dàoqiàn), which mean to make an apology. Here 賠 shifts from paying money to offering amends in words.