thòi tiền
Definition
- Verb (colloquial, regional):
- To pay out money / to disburse funds: The primary meaning is to spend or hand over money, often for a payment, purchase, or expense. It carries a nuance of the money physically leaving one's possession.
- To fork out cash: An informal expression meaning to pay, often implying a sense of reluctance or the tangible act of taking money out (e.g., from a pocket or wallet).
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- Cuối cùng tôi cũng phải thòi tiền ra mua cái máy tính mới. (I finally had to fork out the money to buy the new computer.)
- Mỗi lần đi ăn với nhóm bạn là anh ấy lại phải thòi tiền trước. (Every time he goes out to eat with his friends, he has to pay out the money first.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thòi tiền" is considered colloquial and is more common in spoken Vietnamese, particularly in certain regional dialects. It is less formal than standard terms like (to pay) or (to disburse).
Variants and Related Words
- Trả tiền (v): The standard, neutral verb for "to pay."
- Tôi sẽ trả tiền cho bữa tối. (I will pay for dinner.)
- Chi tiền (v): To spend money.
- Công ty sẽ chi tiền cho dự án. (The company will spend money on the project.)
- Bỏ tiền (v, colloquial): To put in money, to invest money (often informally).
- Anh ấy bỏ tiền ra kinh doanh. (He put money into a business.)
Synonyms
- Disburse: To pay out money, especially from a fund.
- Fork out / shell out (informal): To pay, especially reluctantly.
- Pay: To give money for goods or services.
Related Idioms
- Thò tay vào túi: Literally "to put a hand into a pocket," meaning to reach for money to pay. This idiom shares the concrete, physical imagery of "thòi tiền."
- Thấy hóa đơn, anh ấy liền thò tay vào túi. (Seeing the bill, he immediately reached into his pocket [to pay].)