Definition
倒贴 means to pay money when you would normally receive it — going against the expected flow of profit. You can use it for a business that operates at a loss (倒贴钱), or personally for someone who financially supports a romantic partner, most often a woman supporting a man, which carries a strong social connotation in Chinese culture. In casual speech it can also describe any situation where you voluntarily give more than you get, breaking normal expectations.
v.
(of a business or transaction) to operate at a lossto pay instead of receiving payment(colloquial, especially of a woman) to financially support a lover or partner(colloquial, extended) to do something that goes against normal social or economic expectations
Examples
- ，倒贴。Zhè jiā xiǎo diàn shēngyi bù hǎo, měi gè yuè dōu zài dào tiē qián.This small shop isn't doing well — it's losing money every month.
- 倒贴。Tā wèi le nà ge nán péngyou dào tiē le hěn duō qián.She spent a lot of money supporting that boyfriend.
- ，倒贴？Ràng nǐ bāng máng hái gěi wǒ qián, zhè bú shì dào tiē ma?Asking you to help and then paying you back — isn't that backwards?
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