掏腰包

tāoyāobāo

phrase #20,668

Meanings

1 to pay out of pocket
2 to foot the bill
3 to dip into one's own wallet

Characters

to dig out / to reach into / to pull out

waist / lower back

bag / packet / bundle

Examples

公司不报销，得自己掏腰包。

Gōngsī bù bàoxiāo, děi zìjǐ tāoyāobāo.

The company won't reimburse it — I have to pay out of my own pocket.

他为朋友的婚礼礼物掏了腰包。

Tā wèi péngyou de hūnlǐ lǐwù tāo le yāobāo.

He dug into his own pocket for his friend's wedding gift.

这笔费用最后由老板亲自掏腰包支付。

Zhèbǐ fèiyòng zuìhòu yóu lǎobǎn qīnzì tāoyāobāo zhīfù.

The expense was ultimately paid out of the boss's own pocket.

Tips

memory

Literally: to reach into (掏) one's waist-pocket (腰包). The 腰包 (waist bag / money pouch) was traditionally how people carried cash. Reaching in to pull out your own money = paying yourself.

Stroke Order

掏 tāo

腰 yāo

包 bāo