English–Japanese

“debt” in Japanese

Japanese

Also借金 (shakkin) · 負債 (fusai) · 債務 (saimu)

Pronunciation

Romajikari

Example

その借りは必ず返します。so no ka ri wa kanara zu kae shi ma su

I will repay that debt without fail.

Illustration for 借り (debt)

How to say “debt” in Japanese

“Debt” in Japanese is 借り (kari).

The core sense is something received from another person that remains to be returned or repaid.

Full entry for 借り: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 借り

友人の助けで、借りを作らずに済みました。yū jin no tasu ke de ka ri o tsuku ra zu ni su mi ma shi ta

Thanks to my friend's help, I avoided incurring a debt.

Tips for using 借り

  • In 借りを返す (kari o kaesu), the literal idea of repaying a debt extends naturally to returning a favor, so the noun also appears in social situations.

Other Japanese words for “debt”

借金を返します。shak kin o kae shi ma su

I will repay my debt.

この会社は負債を減らしています。ko no gai sha wa fu sai o he ra shi te i ma su

This company is reducing its debt.

会社は債務を返済します。kai sha wa sai mu o hen sai shi ma su

The company repays its debt.

“debt” in other languages