Chinese word

债务

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhài wù

Meaning

  • noundebt

Example

他因为生意失败欠下很多债务。tā yīn wèi shēng yì shī bài qiàn xià hěn duō zhài wù

He took on a lot of debt because his business failed.

Illustration for 债务 (debt)

More examples

许多年轻人因消费增加而背上了高额的债务。xǔ duō nián qīng rén yīn xiāo fèi zēng jiā ér bèi shàng le gāo é de zhài wù

Many young people took on high levels of debt because their spending increased.

Core concept

An unpaid claim or duty that remains attached to a person or organization until money is returned or a responsibility is fulfilled.

Common phrases

  • 偿还债务cháng huán zhài wù

    pay off debt

  • 承担债务chéng dān zhài wù

    take on debt

  • 个人债务gè rén zhài wù

    personal debt

Similar words

负债fù zhài: The total money a person or organization owes, recorded as a liability.
借款jiè kuǎn: A specific amount of money borrowed from a person or financial institution.
欠款qiàn kuǎn: Money that is still owed because a payment or repayment has not been made.
欠债qiàn zhài: Unpaid personal debt owed to another person or institution.

Definition in Chinese

因借入或应付而需要偿还的金钱或责任。yīn jiè rù huò yìng fù ér xū yào cháng huán de jīn qián huò zé rèn

Word origin

债务 (zhàiwù, "debt") is formed from 债 (zhài, "something owed") + 务 (wù, "a duty or matter"), so it names what is owed as a matter that still requires settlement.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this noun has a formal tone and is especially common in discussions of banking, contracts, business, and law, while personal situations often use simpler verb phrases.

Other meanings

  • liabilitynoun
  • obligationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 债务人zhài wù réndebtornoun
  • 债务重组zhài wù chóng zǔdebt reorganizationnoun

Word lists with this word