Meaning
还钱 is a common verb phrase meaning to repay money that was borrowed. It combines 还 (to return) and 钱 (money), literally meaning 'return money'. This is the standard expression used when discussing paying back loans, debts, or money owed to someone.
Usage
This phrase is used in everyday contexts when discussing financial obligations. It's neutral in register and commonly appears in conversations about borrowing and lending money. Often used with time expressions to indicate when repayment will occur, such as 明天还钱 (repay tomorrow) or 什么时候还钱 (when will you pay back).
Examples
- 01我下个月一定还钱给你。.I will definitely pay you back next month.
- 02他借了我的钱，到现在还没还钱。, .He borrowed money from me and still hasn't paid it back.
Characters
Common collocations
- 还钱给某人to pay back money to someone
- 还清钱to pay off completely
- 按时还钱to repay on time
Antonyms
Origin
The character 还 in this context uses the second tone (huán) meaning 'to return', not the more common second tone 还 (hái) meaning 'still/yet'. This distinguishes the repayment meaning from other uses of the character.