to give instead of receive; to subsidize
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to subsidize; to pay money instead of receiving it (against the normal financial flow)
Originally used in commerce to describe a seller paying the buyer (a reverse of the normal transaction), but now widely used in broader contexts, especially relationships, to describe giving financial support where one would normally receive it.
Zhè这
dōng东
xī西
bié别
shuō说
mài卖
qián钱
，
jiù就
shì是
dào倒
tiē贴
xiē些
qián钱
sòng送
rén人
dōu都
méi没
rén人
yào要
。
Forget about selling this thing, even if you paid people to take it, no one would want it.
Tā她
bù不
dàn但
méi没
yào要
cǎi彩
lǐ礼
，
jié结
hūn婚
shí时
hái还
dào倒
tiē贴
le了
yī一
bǐ笔
jià嫁
zhuāng妆
。
Not only did she not ask for a bride price, she even subsidized the marriage with a dowry.
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Zhè这
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
wèi为
le了
qiǎng抢
zhàn占
shì市
chǎng场
，
qián前
qī期
yī一
zhí直
zài在
dào倒
tiē贴
yùn运
yíng营
。
In order to capture the market, this company has been operating at a loss in the initial phase.
Xiàn现
zài在
tán谈
liàn恋
ài爱
，
cháng常
cháng常
shì是
nǚ女
fāng方
zài在
dào倒
tiē贴
nán男
fāng方
。
Nowadays in relationships, it's often the woman who financially subsidizes the man.