owe
verb-
to have to pay somebody for something that you have already received or return money that you have borrowed 欠（债）；欠（账） - owe somebody something
She still owes her father £3 000. 她还欠她父亲 3 000 英镑。 - (figurative)
I'm still owed three days' leave. 还欠我三天假。 - owe something
He owes more money than he can afford to pay. 他欠的钱超过了他的支付能力。 Exactly how much do we owe? 我们到底欠了多少？ - owe something to somebody
She still owes £3 000 to her father 她还欠她父亲 3 000 英镑。 The country owes billions of dollars to foreign creditors. 这个国家欠外国债主数十亿美元。 - owe something to somebody for something
Most hospitals owe money to pharmaceutical companies for medicines and equipment. 大多数医院欠制药公司药品和设备的钱。 - owe somebody something for something
How much do I owe you for the groceries? 买这些杂货我得给你多少钱？
- owe somebody something
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to feel that you ought to do something for somebody or give them something, especially because they have done something for you 欠（情） - owe something to somebody
I owe a debt of gratitude to all my family. 我很感激我的全家人。 You owe it to your staff to be honest with them. 与下属坦诚相待，这是你对他们应有的态度。 I owe a duty to my family. 我对我的家庭负有责任。 - owe somebody something
You owe me a favour! 你还欠我一个人情！ Thanks for sticking up for me—I owe you one (= I owe you a favour). 谢谢你支持我，我欠你一个情。 I think you owe us an explanation. 我认为你应当给我们一个解释。 I think we're owed an apology. 我认为得有人向我们道歉。
- owe something to somebody
to exist or be successful because of the help or influence of somebody/something 归因于；归功于；起源于 - owe something to somebody/something
He owes his success to hard work. 他的成功是靠勤奋工作。 The play owes much to French tragedy. 这部戏颇受法国悲剧的影响。 I owe everything to him. 我的一切都归功于他。 The town owes its existence to the minerals that lie below the mountains. 这座城镇的存在归功于山下的矿藏。 - owe somebody something
I owe him everything. 我的一切都归功于他。 I knew that I owed the surgeon my life. 我明白外科医生救了我的命。
- owe something to somebody/something
- owe allegiance/loyalty/obedience (to somebody) (formal)
to have to obey and support somebody who is in a position of authority or power （对位高权重者）忠诚，服从 All serfs owed allegiance to a lord. 所有的农奴都效忠于一个领主。
Word OriginOld English āgan ‘own, have it as an obligation’, of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit īs ‘possess, own’.