How to Write 赔 (péi) — Meaning “to compensate; to lose money”

Think of the sound 'pay' (péi) and the left side 贝 meaning money. You can imagine someone saying 'I have to pay money because I broke a vase' to link the sound and meaning. Another trick: the right side 咝 looks like a person with arms out, as if offering money.

Pay attention to the left radical 贝: write the vertical stroke first, then the horizontal fold, then the left hook, and finally the dot inside. The right part 咅 has a horizontal line that should not cross the vertical stroke. A common mistake is making the left side too wide, so keep it narrow and balanced.

賏 is a rare character that means 'to carry' or 'to bear' and consists of two 贝 placed together, not used in daily life. 贼 means 'thief' and has the radical 贝 on the left with 则 on the right, so it refers to a person who steals money. In contrast, 赔 always involves the action of compensating or losing money, not stealing.

赔 appears in business contexts to say 'lose money' (赔钱) and in apologies with 赔礼, which means to apologize formally, often by giving a gift or showing regret. It reflects the cultural value of taking responsibility and restoring harmony after causing trouble, such as by breaking something or making a mistake.

Common words containing 赔 include: 赔钱 (péi qián) — to lose money (in business); 赔礼 (péi lǐ) — to apologize; 赔偿 (péi cháng) — to compensate; to pay for damages.