埋单

埋單

máidān

verb

Meanings

1 to pay the bill (at a restaurant)
2 to bear responsibility for (fig.)

Characters

to settle / tally (Cantonese sense)

Examples

今天我请客，我来埋单。

Jīntiān wǒ qǐngkè, wǒ lái máidān.

I'm treating today — I'll pay the bill.

服务员，埋单！

Fúwùyuán, máidān!

Waiter, the check please!

错误决定最后总得有人埋单。

Cuòwù juédìng zuìhòu zǒngděi yǒu rén máidān.

Someone always has to pay the price for bad decisions.

Tips

culture

Loanword from Cantonese 埋單 (maai4 daan1), originally restaurant jargon meaning 'add up the tab.' Spread nationwide via Hong Kong/Guangdong dining culture. Mandarin also uses 买单 (mǎidān) — now the two are interchangeable.

Stroke Order

埋 mái

单 dān