借
to borrow; to lend
jiè
What does 借 mean?
借 (jiè) is a single verb that covers both 'to borrow' and 'to lend' in English — direction is encoded by the sentence pattern, not by the verb. 借 + person + thing = borrow FROM that person (我借他十块钱 = I borrowed ten yuan from him). 借给 + person + thing = lend TO that person (我借给他十块钱 = I lent him ten yuan). 把⋯⋯借给⋯⋯ makes the lending direction explicit.
This is one of the most confusing words for English speakers, because the same character flips meaning depending on who is the giver and who is the receiver. Context and word order are everything. Native speakers also add 用 (yòng) to clarify: 借用 = borrow to use briefly. Beyond the literal sense, 借 also means 'to use the occasion of' in 借机 (jièjī, take the opportunity) and 'by means of' in 借助 (jièzhù, with the help of).
Note: Neutral. The direction (borrow vs lend) is shown by structure, not by the verb itself: 我借你的书
Character breakdown
to borrow; to lend; by means of
Memory hook: One verb, two directions. Add 给 (gěi) to point outward (lend); leave it off and add the source person to point inward (borrow).
Example sentences
我可以借你的笔吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?
Can I borrow your pen?
spoken
他借给我一百块钱。
Tā jiè gěi wǒ yìbǎi kuài qián.
He lent me a hundred yuan.
neutral
这本书是从图书馆借的。
Zhè běn shū shì cóng túshūguǎn jiè de.
This book is borrowed from the library.
neutral
你借的东西什么时候还？
Nǐ jiè de dōngxi shénme shíhou huán?
When are you returning the things you borrowed?
spoken
请不要借这个做借口。
Qǐng búyào jiè zhège zuò jièkǒu.
Please don't use this as an excuse.
neutral
Common phrases with 借
Synonyms
借用 makes clear you want to USE something briefly, not take it home. Common when asking for small things in person: 我借用一下你的笔 = May I borrow your pen for a sec? 借 alone could imply taking it away.
贷 is the formal/financial 'lend' used by banks (贷款 = loan). Individuals don't use 贷 between each other; 借 is the everyday word.
Don't confuse 借 with
结 means 'to tie / knot / conclude' (结束 = end, 结婚 = marry). Similar shape but different left side and totally different meaning.
接 means 'to receive / pick up / connect' (接电话 = answer the phone). Shares the right side with 借 but starts with 'j-iē' not 'j-iè' — listen for tone and meaning context.
借口 is a noun meaning 'excuse / pretext' — literally 'borrowed mouth.' Don't read it as 'borrow' + 'mouth' literally; it's a fixed compound.
FAQ
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