払う

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. カードで払います。▶ —
   I pay by card.
2. 注意を払う。▶ —
   I pay attention.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Harau (払う) is the godan verb for "pay / give / brush off" — kanji 払 (futsu, hai). Multi-sense cluster: (1) money — okane wo harau (pay money), ryoukin wo harau (pay fees), zeikin wo harau (pay taxes); (2) abstract "give attention or respect" — chuui wo harau (pay attention), keii wo harau (show respect), gisei wo harau (pay the sacrifice); (3) physical "brush off" — hokori wo harau (brush off dust), mushi wo harau (shoo away an insect). Japans payment cultural code: cash (genkin) held over 80 percent of transactions through the 2010s, a Galapagos-ka case where credit cards and QR pay arrived very late. The 2019 government cashless push (kyasshuresu kessai) aimed at 40 percent by 2025 (against South Korea 90 percent, China 85 percent). COVID-19 accelerated adoption — PayPay, LINE Pay, Rakuten Pay exploded after 2020. Warikan (split bill) is the cultural code: post-meal expenses divide evenly per head, more Japan-specific than the Korean or Chinese tradition of one person paying. Seisan (精算, settling up) happens via PayPay or Suica IC transfer down to the single-yen level. JLPT N5 harau integrates with the Japanese payment cluster.

Quick check

1. Cultural code of warikan (割り勘)?

   • Dutch pay — splitting a restaurant bill evenly per head, down to single yen
   • Restaurant discount
   • Boss pays for company drinks
   • No-reservation restaurant