什么是 “Pay Off”?
“Pay off” 通常表示:
- 努力最终获得回报(成功、收益等)
例:All her hard work finally paid off.(她所有的努力终于有了回报。) - 还清债务
例:He paid off his student loan last year.(他去年还清了学生贷款。)
注意:“pay off” 强调的是结果或完成还款动作,常带有积极含义。
什么是 “Pay Back”?
“Pay back” 主要表示:
- 偿还借款(强调归还的动作)
例:I’ll pay you back next week.(我下周还你钱。) - 报复(口语中)
例:He swore to pay her back for the betrayal.(他发誓要为她的背叛报复她。)
“Pay back” 更侧重于“归还”或“回敬”的行为本身,不强调是否成功或有无收益。
核心区别总结
- 语义重心不同:
“Pay off” 强调结果(成功/还清);“Pay back” 强调动作(归还/报复)。 - 情感色彩不同:
“Pay off” 多用于正面语境;“Pay back” 可正可负(还钱 vs 报复)。 - 宾语搭配不同:
“Pay off a debt”(还清债务);“Pay someone back”(还某人钱 / 报复某人)。
例句对比
Pay off:
- The investment paid off within two years.
- She paid off all her credit card debts.
Pay back:
- Can I borrow $20? I’ll pay you back tomorrow.
- Don’t mess with him—he always pays people back.