How to say "repay" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 報いるむくいるichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbCovers repay in the sense of rewarding or recompensing someone for kindness, effort, or service. The repayment here is gratitude or what one gives in return, not money.
- 払い戻すはらいもどすgodan verb, transitive verbCovers repay in the money sense — refunding or reimbursing, paying money back to the person who paid it. It is not the word for repaying kindness or favors.
- 報ずるほうずるichidan verb (-zuru), transitive verb, intransitive verbCovers repay in the sense of returning or requiting kindness or service, giving something in return for what one has received. It is a close synonym of 報いる.
- 報じるほうじるichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbA variant form of 報ずる with the same meaning: to repay, return, or requite kindness or service. For refunding or reimbursing money, use 払い戻す instead.
For repaying kindness, favors, or service, use 「報いる」 or its close synonyms 「報ずる」 and 「報じる」; 「払い戻す」 is the word for the money sense, refunding or reimbursing — returning money rather than kindness.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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