Definitions
(verb)
to lack; to be deficient
(verb)
to owe
(verb)
to yawn
Etymology
Pictograph of a person (人) opening their mouth to yawn.
About
The character 欠 originated as a pictograph of a person kneeling with an open mouth, representing the physical act of yawning or a lack of breath. This concrete image provided the foundational meaning of a shortage or an insufficiency, specifically relating to breath. Over time, this semantic field expanded from denoting a physical absence of air to encompassing a broad spectrum of lacking or owing, whether in a material or abstract sense. Consequently, the character came to form words related to debt, absence, and apology, moving from its initial physical depiction into the realm of social and quantitative deficiency. Its traditional form remains unchanged and identical to its modern standard representation, with its core graphic structure consistently informing its extended meanings.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他欠我一百块钱。
你还欠我一个解释呢。
他总是拖欠房租。
他给我打了一张欠条。
我感觉自己还欠些火候。
他欠身让客人先进门。
这个计划考虑欠周，需要修改。
他说话总带着一股欠揍的语气。