ツケを払はらう

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-u)

pay a bill; settle a tab; pay one's debt

Literal financial meaning: paying a bill, especially a running tab or deferred payment at a bar, restaurant, or shop.

。

Since it was the end of the month, I went to pay my bar tab.

2

expression, godan verb (-u)

pay the price; face the consequences; suffer repercussions

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic use: suffering negative consequences for one's actions, similar to 'paying the price' in English.

不ふ正せいを働はたらいた彼かれは、いつかツケを払はらうことになるだろう。
He who committed fraud will have to pay the price someday.
無む理りな生せい活かつを続つづけると、体からだでツケを払はらうことになる。
If you keep living an unreasonable lifestyle, you'll pay for it with your health.

Written forms

ツケを払はらう
Common katakana spelling for the noun ツケ (tab/credit), widely used in everyday contexts.
つけを払はらう
Hiragana spelling; natural in casual writing.
付つけを払はらう
Kanji spelling; less common than katakana but still seen.

Kanji

払pay, clear out, prune
付adhere, attach, refer to

Similar words

支し払はらう
支払う is the general verb for paying money, while ツケを払う specifically refers to settling a tab or deferred payment.
精せい算さんする
精算する means to settle an account or calculate exact payment, often used in formal or business contexts, whereas ツケを払う is more casual and tied to tabs.
罰ばつを受うける
罰を受ける means to receive punishment, while ツケを払う (idiomatic) implies facing natural consequences rather than formal punishment.

Etymology

From ツケ (tab, credit) + を + 払う (to pay). ツケ derives from the verb 付ける (to attach, to add), referring to adding charges to a running account. The idiomatic sense extends the idea of a deferred debt to non-financial consequences.