The Chinese word 血债 (xuè zhài) is a compound noun formed by combining the character 血 (xuè), meaning "blood," with the character 债 (zhài), meaning "debt." It follows a common modifier-head structure in Chinese word formation, where the first element (血) descriptively modifies the second (债). Literally translating to "blood debt," it is a potent metaphor where "blood" symbolizes violence, killing, or suffering, and "debt" implies a moral or punitive obligation for repayment. Thus, the compound semantically denotes a debt incurred through bloodshed—a grievous wrong, especially loss of life, that demands justice or vengeance.