Payback
“Payback” 是名词,由 pay + back 构成。常见含义包括:报复、以牙还牙(an act of revenge);回报、收益(return on investment);以及退款、偿付。口语中 “It’s payback time” 表示“该算账了”。
- “They beat us last year, so this year’s win was payback.” (去年他们击败了我们,所以今年的胜利算是报复回来了。)
- “Investors expect a payback within three years.” (投资者期望三年内收回投资。)
- “Helping her now is payback for all the times she supported me.” (现在帮她,是回报她以往对我的所有支持。)
“Payback” 为复合词:pay(支付、偿还)+ back(回来),字面即“还回来”,引申为报复或投资回报。
由两个自由词根 pay 与 back 合成,无额外词缀。
在美式口语与影视中,payback 常与复仇叙事相关;商业语境中则指 payback period(投资回收期),为中性财务术语。
- 固定搭配: “payback time” (算账的时候), “payback period” (投资回收期), “sweet payback” (痛快的报复)
- 动词短语: pay back(偿还、报复)
“pay back” 合成一个词:把钱/账“还回来”——可以是还钱、回报,也可以是报复。
“After years of being overlooked, her promotion felt like long-overdue payback for her quiet dedication.” (多年被忽视之后,这次晋升仿佛是对她默默付出的迟来回报。)