reimburse
償還する
解説 Definition
お金や経費を返金する、または払い戻すことを意味します。誰かが支払った費用を後で返すときに使われる表現です。
To reimburse someone means to pay back money they have spent for you, for a company, or for a shared purpose. It is commonly used in business, travel, insurance, and expense claims. The word usually suggests that the person paid first and received the money later.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
re- が「元に戻す」の感覚だと押さえると、reimburse は「立て替えて減ったお金を元に戻してもらう」動きで覚えやすい。refund は商品代金の返金、repay は借金の返済に寄りやすいが、reimburse は travel expenses や medical expenses など、いったん自分で払った経費の払い戻しで特によく使う。be reimbursed for ... の形も頻出。「会社・保険・組織があとで精算して返す」場面とセットで覚えると定着しやすい。
The prefix `re-` gives the idea of "back" or "again," so `reimburse` is about putting money back where it should be. In formal financial contexts, think of bonds, loans, or debts being paid back fully, not just small everyday expenses. That helps separate this rare use from the common office-expense meaning.
例文
The company will reimburse employees for travel expenses.
会社は従業員の出張費用を返金します。
I submitted a receipt to get reimbursed for the office supplies.
オフィス用品の領収書を提出して、払い戻しを受けました。
If the product is defective, we will reimburse your full purchase price.
製品に欠陥がある場合、購入価格全額を返金します。
reimburse の類義語・関連語
reimburse の語源・成り立ち Etymology
reimburse はフランス語 rembourser に由来し、re-「元に戻す」＋ bourse「財布・金袋」からできています。つまり“相手の財布をもう一度ふくらませる”が原義で、「償還する」の感覚に直結します。関連語に purse、bursar があります。
Reimburse comes from French rembourser. It is made from re-, meaning "back" or "again," and bourse, meaning a purse or money bag. The original image is of putting money back into someone's purse, which led naturally to the idea of repayment. Related English words include purse and bursar.
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