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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "debt" in Chinese?
债务
zhài wù
In Chinese, "debt" is 债务 (zhài wù).
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Pronunciation
Say it as "zhài wù" — fourth tone, then fourth tone — snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Keep the 2 syllables of zhài wù distinct rather than blending them together.
Writing and usage
债务 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
他们努力还清债务。
tā men nǔ lì huán qīng zhài wù 。
They worked hard to pay off the debt.
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How to remember 债务
Attach "zhài wù" to the moment when they worked hard to pay off the debt; the pairing is hard to forget.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 债务
How do you pronounce 债务?
Say it as "zhài wù" — fourth tone, then fourth tone — snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Keep the 2 syllables of zhài wù distinct rather than blending them together.
Is 债务 formal or casual?
债务 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 债务 used in Chinese?
债务 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 他们努力还清债务。 (They worked hard to pay off the debt.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Debt" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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