💸 pay back 뜻 | 2가지 의미 · 예문 · 대화 · 이미지

[구동사 · Lv.1] pay back – 돈을 갚을 때 · 복수할 때

pay back은 일상 회화에서 정말 자주 쓰이는 기본 구동사입니다.
기본 의미는 “돈을 갚다”이고, 상황에 따라 “복수하다 / 되갚다”라는 비유적 의미로도 사용됩니다.

repay → 더 격식 있고 문어적인 표현
get back at → 복수 의미만 가지는 구어체 표현

 

pay back

Type	Phrasal Verb (구동사)
Formality	Neutral (중립)
Usage Frequency	★★★★☆
Difficulty	★☆☆☆☆
Pronunciation	🇺🇸 /peɪ bæk/ · 🇬🇧 /peɪ bæk/

 

① (70%) 돈을 갚다 / 빚을 청산하다

Meaning: to return money you borrowed
→ 빌린 돈을 갚다

Synonyms

🔸 repay – 공식적·문어적인 ‘상환하다’
pay off – 빚을 전부 갚다(완납 뉘앙스)
return – 돌려주다(의미 범위 넓음)

Examples

✔ I’ll pay you back tomorrow.
→ 내일 갚을게.
🔁 Synonym: I’ll repay you tomorrow.

⚠  조금 더 격식

 

✔ She paid back the money she borrowed last month.
→ 그녀는 지난달에 빌린 돈을 갚았다.
🔁 Synonym: She repaid the money she borrowed last month.

✔ He finally paid back the loan in full.
→ 그는 마침내 대출금을 전액 상환했다.
🔁 Synonym: He paid off the loan in full.

✔ When can you pay me back?
→ 언제 갚을 수 있어?

Collocations 

• pay back a loan – 대출금을 갚다
• pay back the money – 돈을 갚다
• pay someone back – 누군가에게 돈을 갚다
• pay back in full – 전액 상환하다
• pay back what you owe – 빚진 만큼 갚다

② (30%) 복수하다 / 보복하다

Meaning: to get revenge on someone
→ 누군가에게 당한 일을 되갚다 (비유적)

Synonyms

🔸get back at – 복수하다 (구어체, 가장 자연스러움)
take revenge on – 강한 복수 의미, 문어적
retaliate – 보복하다 (공식·뉴스 톤)

Examples

✔ I’ll pay him back for what he did.
→ 그가 한 짓에 반드시 복수할 거야.
🔁 Synonym: I’ll get back at him for what he did.

✔ She finally paid him back after all those years.
→ 오랜 시간이 지나 그녀는 결국 복수했다.
🔁  Synonym: She finally took revenge on him.

✔ Don’t try to pay people back out of anger.
→ 화나서 복수하려 들지 마라.
🔁  Synonym: Don’t retaliate out of anger.

Collocations 

• pay someone back (for something) – (무엇 때문에) 복수하다
• pay back in revenge – 복수로 되갚다
• pay back emotionally / mentally – 감정적으로 되갚다
• pay back wrongs – 잘못을 되갚다 / 응징하다

Memorize This!

• I’ll pay you back tomorrow. → 내일 갚을게.
• I’ll pay him back for what he did. → 그가 한 짓에 복수할 거야.
• She paid back the money she borrowed. → 그녀는 빌린 돈을 갚았다.

핵심 예문 3가지를 반복해 암기하세요. 실제 대화에서는 문맥에 맞춰 시제·주어를 바꿔 사용할 수 있습니다.

REAL TALK

pay back – 돈을 갚다 · 복수하다 ❘ English learning illustrative image

🎧 Real Talk 음성 듣기

 

Hey, have you eaten yet?

Not yet. Why?

Let’s grab something together. What do you feel like?

Hmm… how about Chinese food?

Chinese sounds good. You’re buying, right?
You still owe me from last time.

Alright, alright. I’ll pay you back this time.

Good. Then I’m ordering whatever I want.

Deal. But no sweet and sour pork. That’s where I draw the line.

Korean

Jeniffer: 밥 먹었어?
Easton: 아직. 왜?
Jeniffer: 같이 밥 먹자. 뭐 먹고 싶은거 있어?
Easton: 음… 중국음식 어때?
Jeniffer: 중국집 좋지. 네가 쏘는 거지? 저번에 내가 샀잖아. (이제 갚아야지)
Easton: 알았어 알았어. 이번엔 내가 갚을게.
Jeniffer: 좋아. 그럼 나 먹고 싶은 거 시킨다?
Easton: 콜. 대신 탕수육은 안 돼. 그건 선을 넘는 거지.

Expression Tips 

* You owe me. : 나한테 빚졌어 / 신세졌어
* What do you feel like? :  뭐 먹고 싶어? / 뭐 하고 싶어?
* I’ll pay you back. :  갚을게
* Whatever I want :  내가 원하는 건 뭐든지
* That’s where I draw the line. : 거기까지야 /  선 넘는 거야

 

 

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That's it for today

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