lòi tiền
Definition
- Verb phrase (colloquial):
- To have to pay out money (unwillingly or unexpectedly): To be forced to spend or disburse one's own money, often for an unforeseen expense, a debt, or a situation where one is compelled to pay despite not wanting to.
- To be out of pocket: To suffer a financial loss by having to use one's own funds.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Cuối cùng, tôi cũng phải lòi tiền ra để sửa xe. (In the end, I also had to fork out money to repair the car.)
- Hắn ta thua cá độ và phải lòi tiền trả nợ. (He lost the bet and had to cough up the money to pay the debt.)
- Công ty không chi trả, nên nhân viên phải lòi tiền túi ra cho chuyến công tác. (The company didn't reimburse, so the employee had to pay out of their own pocket for the business trip.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a connotation of reluctance, annoyance, or being forced into an unfavorable financial situation. It emphasizes the action of money "coming out" () from one's possession.
Variants and Related Words
- Bỏ tiền ra (verb phrase): to put money out, to spend money. (A more neutral term).
- Móc tiền túi (verb phrase): to dig into one's pocket, to pay from one's own funds.
Synonyms
- To fork out (money): To pay, especially reluctantly.
- To cough up (money): To hand over money, often unwillingly.
- To disburse (reluctantly): To pay out money.
- To be out of pocket: To have paid personally and lost money.
Related Idioms
- Cháy túi: To be broke, to have one's pocket "burned" (money is all gone).
- Móc hầu bao: To open one's purse (to spend money).