赊 (shē) - To buy or sell on credit & to owe

赊Tone 1

shē ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

赊 · shē

To buy or sell on credit;

to owe;

to be distant or far-reaching;

lenient.

To buy or sell on creditto oweto be distant or far-reaching

Usage highlights

Buy on creditSell on creditOutstanding debtCredit accountCredit transactionLong credit period

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 现— cash, immediate payment
  • 付— to pay

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He bought the furniture on credit (赊账).
  • The store offers credit sales (赊销).
  • The debt has been outstanding for a long time (赊欠很久).
  • The view extends far into the distance (远景赊茫).

Collocations

  • Buy on credit(赊购)
  • Sell on credit(赊销)
  • Outstanding debt(赊欠)
  • Credit account(赊账)
  • Credit transaction(赊交易)
  • Long credit period(赊期)

Idioms

  • Buy on credit and sell for cash(赊购现销)
  • Distant waters cannot quench present thirst(远水不救近火，赊不如现)
  • Credit in thousands, cash in hundreds(赊千不如现八百)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese commerce, 赊 represented trust-based transactions common in local business networks.
  • The character reflects historical economic practices where personal relationships often underpinned credit arrangements.
  • In classical poetry, 赊 sometimes describes vast, distant landscapes, extending beyond literal financial meaning.

FAQ