Translation and Meaning of: 払う - harau

The Japanese word 「払う」 (harau) is a verb that has various meanings, adapting according to the context in which it is used. Its most common translation is "to pay," but it can also mean "to sweep" or "to clean," especially when referring to physical movements of cleaning or removal. This exemplifies the richness of the Japanese language, where words can have multiple meanings. In daily use, "harau" is often associated with the idea of covering expenses or settling debts.

Etymologically, the word 「払う」 can be broken down into two main elements: the radical 「払」, which implies a movement of removal or separation, and the verbal ending 「う」 (u), which denotes continuous action or the verbal formation of the word. Historically, before taking on the monetary meaning, 「払う」 was used almost exclusively in a physical sense, for example, to describe the act of sweeping leaves or cleaning a surface. This sense is still used, particularly in religious contexts, such as the cleaning of sacred spaces.

The use of 「払う」 in the sense of payment reflects a semantic expansion that has occurred over the years, possibly influenced by the need to express economic concepts in a language that was, at other times, more restricted to physical or spiritual concepts. The concept of handling something physical requires removal or displacement, a type of transfer, which may have facilitated this transition of meaning to also encom the idea of disbursing money.

In contemporary Japan, the term is widely used in various daily situations, such as when talking about paying the bill in restaurants, settling utility bills, or dealing with financial transactions. Furthermore, the verb 「払う」 can be combined with other nouns to form compound expressions that allude to related concepts, such as "支払い" (shiharai), which refers to the act or process of payment. This versatility makes 「払う」 a vital word in everyday Japanese vocabulary.

Vocabulary

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Verb conjugation of 払う

• 払う - Ruined form
• 払える - potential form
• 払った - past form
• 払っている - Present continuous form
• 払おう - Voluntary form
• 払いたい - Desired shape
• 払うだろう - Hypothetical form

Synonyms and similar words

• 支払う (Shiharau) - pay
• 支払いする (Shiharai suru) - Make a payment
• お金を払う (Okane o harau) - Pay cash
• 代金を払う (Daikin o harau) - Pay the price/Cost
• 代金を支払う (Daikin o shiharau) - Make the payment of the price
• 金を払う (Kin o harau) - Pay cash (a more colloquial way)
• 請求に応じる (Seikyuu ni oujiru) - Attend to the collection request.
• 請求に従う (Seikyuu ni shitagau) - Follow up on the charge
• 請求に対応する (Seikyuu ni taioo suru) - Respond to the charge