欠 (qiàn) - to owe & to lack

欠Tone 4

qiàn ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 欠

器情

欠 · qiàn

to owe;

to lack;

to be deficient;

to yawn;

to be tilted or bent

to oweto lackto be deficient

Usage highlights

to owe moneyto owe a debtto lack considerationto be lackingto owe an explanationto owe a favor

Synonyms

  • 缺— to lack; to be short of
  • 少— to be less; to be missing
  • 负— to owe (debt); to bear

Antonyms

  • 还— to repay; to return
  • 盈— to be full; to have surplus
  • 足— to be sufficient; adequate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I owe him money (欠钱).
  • He lacks experience (欠经验).
  • She is yawning (打欠).
  • The table is a bit tilted (桌子有点欠).

Collocations

  • to owe money(欠款)
  • to owe a debt(欠债)
  • to lack consideration(欠考虑)
  • to be lacking(欠缺)
  • to owe an explanation(欠解释)
  • to owe a favor(欠人情)

Idioms

  • To owe a debt of gratitude(欠人情债)
  • To be short of both talent and learning(欠才少学)
  • To be lacking in both ability and virtue(欠德少才)
  • To owe a blood debt(欠血债)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, owing money or favors (欠人情) carries significant social obligation and is taken seriously.
  • The character depicts a person with an open mouth, originally representing the act of yawning or sighing.
  • In business contexts, being in debt (欠债) is generally viewed negatively and implies financial instability.

FAQ