owe
verb [ T ] uk/əʊ/ us/oʊ/
(HAVE DEBTS)
B1 欠（债）;欠（账）;该偿还
to need to pay or give something to someone because they have lent money to you, or in exchange for something they have done for you
[ + two objects ] I owe Janet $50. 我欠珍妮特50美元。
We still owe $1,000 on our car (= we still need to pay $1,000 before we own our car). 我们的车还欠1000美元未付清。
I owe you a drink for helping me move. 你帮我搬家，我该请你喝一杯。
I think you owe (= should give) me an explanation/apology. 我觉得你得向我解释一下／道歉。
See also: IOU
- More examples
- "As I recall," he said with some irritation, "you still owe me £150."
- It's just struck me that I still owe you for the concert tickets.
- It'll be difficult to sort out how much each person owes.
- He'd better pay me back that money he owes me soon, or else.
- I owe you an apology - I'm afraid I forgot to send Amanda that report.
(AS A RESULT)
C2 把…归功（于）;把…归因（于）
to have success, happiness, a job, etc. only because of what someone has given you or done for you or because of your own efforts
I owe my success to my education. 我的成功归功于我所受的教育。
He owes his life to the staff at the hospital. 他能保住命全亏了这家医院的医护人员。
I owe everything (= I am very grateful) to my parents. 我非常感激我的父母。
Idioms
I owe you (one)idiom informal 我欠你一份情;我会报答你的这份情
said to thank someone for helping you and as a way of saying that you will do something for them in the future
Thanks for the help, Bill - I owe you one. 谢谢你的帮助，比尔——我欠你个人情。
owe someone a livingidiom informal 有义务养活（某人）
If you say that someone thinks that people owe him or her a living, you mean that that person thinks that he or she deserves to be paid without having to work hard for it
He seems to think the world owes him a living. 他似乎觉得世人都有义务照顾他。
No one owes you a living. 没人有义务养活你。
owe it to yourselfidiom 自己理应做，自己当之无愧
to deserve and need to do something that will be good for you
Take a few days off work - you owe it to yourself. 休息几天——你应该歇一歇了。