지불하다 vs 지급하다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 지불하다
Listen to 지급하다
| 지불하다 | 지급하다 |
|---|---|
ji-BUL-ha-da verb | ji-geub-ha-da verb |
| to pay (money); to make a payment | to disburse or remit funds (usually by an organization); to pay out |
How they differ
지급하다 implies an organized, often official disbursement from an organization or institution (e.g., salaries, allowances, benefits), whereas 지불하다 is a general verb for making a payment and does not carry the institutional/disbursement nuance.
When to use each
When to use 지불하다: Prefer 지불하다 when describing a generic payment action between parties (consumer purchases, one-off payments) without emphasizing institutional disbursement.
When to use 지급하다: Prefer 지급하다 when referring to official or administrative payments made by an organization, such as payroll, benefits, or ordered disbursements.
Side-by-side examples
- 회사는 외주비를 제때 지불하지 않았다.
(The company did not pay the subcontracting fee on time.) - 회사는 이번 달부터 직원들에게 상여금을 지급하기로 결정했다.
(The company decided to disburse bonuses to employees starting this month.)
Register & nuance: 지급하다 is formal and often used in business, legal, or administrative contexts; 지불하다 is neutral and used in both spoken and written contexts.