Word information
Simplified自掏腰包
Traditional自掏腰包
Pinyinzì tāo yāo bāo
Part of speechDictionary
HSK 3.0Not listed
HSK 2.0Not listed
Chinese word dictionary
自掏腰包
zì tāo yāo bāo · to pay out of one's own pocket; to dig into one's pocket
Character breakdown
Study each Hanzi separately, then return to the complete word so pronunciation, meaning, and movement stay connected.
How to learn 自掏腰包
Listen once without reading, repeat the pinyin with its tones, then write every character in sequence. Finally, recall the complete meaning instead of memorizing each character as an isolated translation.
When the word appears in a sentence, check whether its part of speech and meaning match the definition shown here. Chinese words can change nuance with context.
Related vocabulary
Words with the same characters
Compare how a familiar Hanzi changes meaning inside another word.
包子bāozi
baozi; bao (steamed stuffed bun); CL:個|个[ge4]
面包miànbāobread; CL:片[pian4],塊|块[kuai4]
包bāosurname Bao; to cover; to wrap; to hold; to include; to take charge of; to contract (to or for); package; wrapper; container; bag; to hold or embrace; bundle; packet; CL:個|个[ge4],隻|只[zhi1]
书包shūbāoschoolbag; satchel; bookbag; CL:個|个[ge4],隻|只[zhi1]
自己zìjǐoneself; (attributive) one's own
来自láizìto come from (a place); From: (in email header)