About
The character 债, traditional form 債, is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic component is the person radical 亻 on the left, indicating human involvement. The phonetic component on the right is 責 (simplified as 责), which itself contains the shell radical 贝, pointing to matters of money or wealth. Originally created for the financial concept of a loan, money or goods one person owes another, its meaning expanded to include broader moral or social obligations, such as debts of gratitude or duty. It is the standard term for liabilities, deficits, and government bonds.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我欠了一些债。
他必须还债。
爸爸还清了债务。
避免欠债很重要。
债务压力很大。
公司债务增加了。
国家债务是一个问题。
为了还债，他每天工作很辛苦。