债 (zhài) - debt, obligation, something owed to another person or
债 · zhài
debt, obligation, something owed to another person or entity
debt, obligation, something owed to another person or
Usage highlights
national debtcorporate debtpersonal debtdebt repaymentdebt obligationdebt collector
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He is paying off his debt (还债).
- The company has a large national debt (国债).
- She borrowed money and now has a debt (欠债).
- The debt collector came to the door (讨债人).
Collocations
- national debt(国债)
- corporate debt(公司债)
- personal debt(个人债)
- debt repayment(还债)
- debt obligation(债务)
- debt collector(讨债人)
Idioms
- Debts must be paid, crimes must be punished(欠债还钱，杀人偿命)
- Heavy debts like a mountain(负债累累)
- Old debts are hard to collect(债多不愁)
- Pay back a debt of gratitude(还人情债)
Cultural background
FAQ- In Chinese culture, being in debt carries significant social stigma and is seen as a loss of face.
- The character reflects traditional values of financial responsibility and honoring obligations.
- Historically, debt relationships were governed by strong social expectations beyond legal contracts.