collect debt; dun
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesverb
to demand payment of a debt; to dun; to collect a debt
Used when creditors demand repayment from debtors.
Tā他
zhuān专
mén门
tì替
rén人
tǎo讨
zhàng账
，
cóng从
zhōng中
chōu抽
qǔ取
yòng佣
jīn金
。
He specializes in collecting debts for others, taking a commission from it.
Nián年
dǐ底
le了
，
lǎo老
bǎn板
pài派
wǒ我
qù去
xiàng向
nà那
xiē些
kè客
hù户
tǎo讨
zhàng账
。
It's year-end, and the boss sent me to collect debts from those clients.
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Zhè这
gè个
rén人
qiàn欠
qián钱
bù不
huán还
，
wǒ我
men们
zhǐ只
néng能
shàng上
mén门
tǎo讨
zhàng账
le了
。
This person owes money and won't pay it back, so we have no choice but to go to his door to collect.
verb
(dialect) to demand payment for goods bought on credit
dialectSpecifically refers to collecting payment for goods sold on credit, commonly used in rural or traditional commercial contexts.
Guò过
qù去
，
diàn店
pù铺
dōu都
shì是
nián年
dǐ底
xiàng向
shē赊
zhàng账
de的
rén人
jiā家
tǎo讨
zhàng账
。
In the past, shops would collect payments from families who bought on credit at year-end.
Tā他
dào到
gè各
jiā家
tǎo讨
zhàng账
qù去
le了
，
gū估
jì计
wǎn晚
shang上
cái才
huí回
lái来
。
He went to various houses to collect debts and probably won't be back until evening.