bàodá: 报答 - To Repay, To Requite

• Keywords: baoda, bàodá, 报答, repay a favor, requite kindness, return a favor, Chinese word for repay, reciprocate, Chinese gratitude, HSK 5 vocabulary, repaying parents
• Summary: Discover the deep cultural meaning of 报答 (bàodá), a Chinese verb that goes beyond simply “paying someone back.” This page explores how `bàodá` signifies the heartfelt duty to repay significant kindness, love, or mentorship through action. Learn how this powerful word reflects core Chinese values like gratitude, filial piety, and social reciprocity, and see how to use it correctly in modern conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bàodá
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To repay a person for their kindness, favor, or help.
• In a Nutshell: `报答` is a formal and emotionally significant word used to express the intention to repay a deep kindness or a major favor. It's not for small, everyday transactions like buying a friend a coffee. Think of it as “requiting” a kindness, where the act of repayment is driven by a profound sense of gratitude and moral obligation. It often implies that the repayment will happen over time and through meaningful actions, not just a simple one-off gesture.

• 报 (bào): This character's original meaning is “to report” or “to announce.” By extension, it means to respond or reciprocate. The hand radical (扌) on the left suggests an action is being taken in response.
• 答 (dá): This character means “to answer” or “to reply.”
• How they combine: Together, 报答 (bàodá) literally means “to respond with an answer” or “to reply with an action.” It creates the powerful image of answering a kindness not with words, but with a corresponding good deed. You received a “question” in the form of a favor, and your `报答` is the “answer.”

`报答` is a cornerstone of Chinese social ethics, deeply connected to concepts of gratitude and reciprocity. It reflects a cultural belief that good deeds create a lasting social and emotional bond that requires reciprocation. A key cultural concept here is 人情 (rénqíng), which is the “human feeling” or social obligation that flows between people. When someone does you a big favor, they give you `人情`, and you are then morally expected to `报答` it. This is not seen as a burden, but as a natural and honorable part of maintaining relationships. Comparison to Western Culture: In the West, “paying someone back” can often be transactional and aims to “settle the score” or “be even.” For example, if a friend pays for your dinner, you might say, “I'll get the next one,” to quickly restore balance. `报答`, however, is rarely about becoming “even.” A classic example is the relationship between children and parents. Children are expected to `报答` their parents for the years of love, sacrifice, and care. This debt of gratitude can never truly be paid back in a transactional sense; instead, it is requited through lifelong love, respect, and care (filial piety, or 孝顺 (xiàoshùn)). This is an ongoing act of gratitude, not a closing of accounts.

`报答` is a fairly formal word and carries significant emotional weight. It's not used casually.

• In Family: It's most frequently used when children talk about repaying their parents for raising them. “我长大后一定要好好报答我的父母” (I must repay my parents well after I grow up).
• With Mentors and Benefactors: You would use `报答` to express gratitude to a teacher, a mentor, or someone who gave you a major opportunity in life. It shows you recognize the significance of their help and intend to honor it.
• To Society: In a broader sense, people might talk about `报答` society (报答社会) by contributing to the public good, especially if they have achieved great success.
• Connotation: It is overwhelmingly positive and conveys a sense of righteousness, honor, and deep gratitude. Using it shows that you are a person who understands and values moral obligations.

• Example 1:
  • 我将来一定要好好报答父母的养育之恩。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jiānglái yīdìng yào hǎohǎo bàodá fùmǔ de yǎngyù zhī ēn.
  • English: In the future, I must properly repay my parents for the grace of raising me.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using `报答` in the context of filial piety. “养育之恩 (yǎngyù zhī ēn)” means “the grace/kindness of raising someone,” a debt children are culturally expected to repay.
• Example 2:
  • 这位老师对我的帮助太大了，我真不知道该如何报答他。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi lǎoshī duì wǒ de bāngzhù tài dà le, wǒ zhēn bù zhīdào gāi rúhé bàodá tā.
  • English: This teacher's help was so immense, I really don't know how I can ever repay him.
  • Analysis: The phrase “如何报答 (rúhé bàodá)” (how to repay?) is a common way to express overwhelming gratitude, emphasizing that the favor received feels too large to be easily returned.
• Example 3:
  • 他用努力工作来报答老板的信任。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng nǔlì gōngzuò lái bàodá lǎobǎn de xìnrèn.
  • English: He repays his boss's trust by working hard.
  • Analysis: This shows that `报答` is an action. The repayment here isn't money, but rather dedication and performance, which directly answers the “kindness” of being trusted.
• Example 4:
  • 我们要报答社会，帮助那些需要帮助的人。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yào bàodá shèhuì, bāngzhù nàxiē xūyào bāngzhù de rén.
  • English: We must repay society by helping those in need.
  • Analysis: This extends the concept beyond individuals to a collective. It's often used by successful people or companies to express a sense of social responsibility.
• Example 5:
  • 你的恩情我永生难忘，我一定会报答你的。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ deēnqíng wǒ yǒngshēng nánwàng, wǒ yīdìng huì bàodá nǐ de.
  • English: I will never forget your kindness in my entire life; I will definitely repay you.
  • Analysis: This is a very strong, formal, and heartfelt promise. It has an almost oath-like quality, suitable for situations involving life-changing help.
• Example 6:
  • 我唯一的报答方式就是把这个项目做到最好。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wéiyī de bàodá fāngshì jiùshì bǎ zhège xiàngmù zuò dào zuì hǎo.
  • English: My only way of repaying you is to make this project the best it can be.
  • Analysis: Here, `报答` is used as a noun, “repayment.” The sentence clearly defines the action that will serve as the repayment.
• Example 7:
  • 别客气，我帮你不是为了让你报答我。
  • Pinyin: Bié kèqì, wǒ bāng nǐ bùshì wèile ràng nǐ bàodá wǒ.
  • English: Don't mention it, I didn't help you with the expectation of you repaying me.
  • Analysis: This is something a benefactor might say to humbly downplay their own help and relieve the other person of the perceived obligation. It shows they understand the weight of `报答`.
• Example 8:
  • 滴水之恩，当涌泉相报。这份帮助，我日后定当报答。
  • Pinyin: Dīshuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǒngquán xiāng bào. Zhè fèn bāngzhù, wǒ rìhòu dìngdāng bàodá.
  • English: A favor of a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring. I will certainly repay this help in the future.
  • Analysis: This sentence pairs `报答` with a famous idiom (`成语 chéngyǔ`) that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of repaying a kindness with even greater generosity. “定当 (dìngdāng)” is a formal way of saying “certainly will.”
• Example 9:
  • 仅仅说声“谢谢”不足以表达我的感激，我希望能有机会报答您。
  • Pinyin: Jǐnjǐn shuō shēng “xièxiè” bùzú yǐ biǎodá wǒ de gǎnjī, wǒ xīwàng néng yǒu jīhuì bàodá nín.
  • English: Merely saying “thank you” is not enough to express my gratitude; I hope to have the chance to repay you.
  • Analysis: This explicitly contrasts the simple act of thanking (说谢谢) with the much deeper action of `报答`, highlighting the difference for learners.
• Example 10:
  • 这份恩情太重了，我恐怕一生都无法报答。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn ēnqíng tài zhòng le, wǒ kǒngpà yīshēng dōu wúfǎ bàodá.
  • English: This kindness is too profound; I'm afraid I won't be able to repay it in my entire lifetime.
  • Analysis: Using `无法报答` (wúfǎ bàodá - unable to repay) is a powerful rhetorical device to express the immense scale of the favor received. It's a statement of ultimate gratitude.

• `报答 (bàodá)` vs. `还 (huán)` - The Biggest Pitfall: This is the most common mistake for learners.
  • `还 (huán)`: Use this for transactional repayment of tangible things, especially money. It means “to return,” “to give back.”
    • Correct: 我明天还你100块钱。(Wǒ míngtiān huán nǐ 100 kuài qián.) - I'll pay back the 100 yuan to you tomorrow.
    • Incorrect: 我明天会报答你100块钱。 (This sounds very strange, as if the 100 yuan was a life-saving gift).
  • `报答 (bàodá)`: Use this for repaying intangible kindness, favors, love, support, and mentorship.
    • Correct: 我要报答我的老师。(Wǒ yào bàodá wǒ de lǎoshī.) - I want to repay my teacher.
    • Incorrect: 我要还我的老师。 (This sounds like you owe your teacher an object or money, not that you're grateful for their teaching).
• Overusing `报答`: Do not use `报答` for small, everyday favors. If a friend buys you a drink, you can say “下次我请你 (xià cì wǒ qǐng nǐ)” - “I'll treat you next time,” or just “谢谢 (xièxie).” Using `报答` would sound overly dramatic and even insincere.

• 回报 (huíbào): Very similar to `报答` and often interchangeable. `回报` can also mean “return” in a more neutral sense, like “return on investment” (投资回报), making it slightly less personal and emotional than `报答`.
• 感恩 (gǎn'ēn): A verb meaning “to feel grateful.” `感恩` is the feeling, while `报答` is the action you take because of that feeling.
• 报恩 (bào'ēn): To repay a kindness, with `恩 (ēn)` meaning “grace” or “favor.” It is very close to `报答` but feels slightly more traditional or literary, often found in stories and legends.
• 知恩图报 (zhī ēn tú bào): A chengyu (idiom) meaning “to recognize a favor and plan to repay it.” This phrase perfectly describes the moral virtue that `报答` represents.
• 滴水之恩，当涌泉相报 (dīshuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǒngquán xiāng bào): A famous chengyu (idiom) meaning “a kindness of a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring.” It advocates for repaying kindness with extreme generosity.
• 还 (huán): A key contrast. It means to return a tangible object or pay back a specific loan. It is transactional, whereas `报答` is relational.
• 报复 (bàofù): The negative counterpart. It uses the same character `报` (to respond) but means “to retaliate” or “to take revenge.” This shows how `报` is a neutral character of “response,” which can be positive (`报答`) or negative (`报复`).
• 孝顺 (xiàoshùn): Filial piety; the act of being a good, respectful, and caring child. Fulfilling one's `孝顺` is the primary way a person `报答` their parents.