====== zhàiwù: 债务 - Debt, Liability, Obligation ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** 债务, zhaiwu, Chinese for debt, Chinese for liability, debt in China, Chinese obligation, personal debt, national debt, mortgage in Chinese, 还债, 欠钱, HSK 5
  * **Summary:** Learn the Chinese word for debt, **债务 (zhàiwù)**. This comprehensive guide goes beyond a simple translation, exploring how **债务** is used in modern China for everything from personal mortgages and credit cards to national economic policy. Understand the cultural significance of debt, the critical difference between the formal term **债务** and the casual phrase `欠钱 (qiàn qián)`, and master its usage with practical, real-world example sentences.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhàiwù
  * **Part of Speech:** Noun
  * **HSK Level:** 5
  * **Concise Definition:** A financial, legal, or moral obligation to repay something, typically money; a debt or liability.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **债务 (zhàiwù)** is the formal and official term for "debt." Think of it as the word you would see on a bank loan agreement, in a legal document, or in a news report about the economy. It's more abstract and serious than just saying "I owe money." It encompasses the entire concept and state of being indebted, carrying a weight of formal responsibility.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **债 (zhài):** This character tells a story. The left side, **亻**, is the "person" radical. The right side, **责 (zé)**, means "responsibility" or "to demand." Combined, **债** literally means a "person's responsibility," a perfect representation of a debt.
  * **务 (wù):** This character means "affair," "matter," or "business," as seen in words like 服务 (fúwù - service) and 任务 (rènwù - task). It adds a layer of formality and scope.
When combined, **债务 (zhàiwù)** means a "debt affair" or an "obligation matter." This fusion creates a term that signifies a formal, recognized state of liability, distinguishing it from a casual IOU between friends.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
Traditionally, carrying **债务** in Chinese culture was viewed with a significant degree of social shame. The ideal was to be self-reliant and free from obligation. There is a strong cultural custom of trying to **还清债务 (huánqīng zhàiwù)**—pay off all debts—before the Lunar New Year, to start the new year with a clean slate.
This contrasts with Western consumer cultures where debt is often normalized and even encouraged as a tool for immediate gratification (e.g., credit card spending, "buy now, pay later" schemes).
While China has rapidly modernized, with mortgages (房贷 fángdài) and consumer credit becoming commonplace, a remnant of this traditional caution persists. The concept of debt is often approached with more gravity.
A crucial distinction is between **债务 (zhàiwù)** and **人情债 (rénqíngzhài)**.
  *   **债务** is a financial or legal liability. It is transactional and is settled by paying money.
  *   **人情债 (rénqíngzhài)** is a "debt of human feeling" or a social obligation. It's created when someone does you a significant favor. This debt cannot be repaid with money but requires loyalty, reciprocity, and future help. It is a cornerstone of `关系 (guānxi)` and is often considered more burdensome than a financial debt.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**债务** is a common term in formal contexts, covering personal finance, business, and economics.
==== Personal Finance ====
It's used when discussing serious financial commitments like mortgages, car loans, and significant credit card debt. While you might tell a friend `我欠你钱 (Wǒ qiàn nǐ qián)`, you would discuss your `信用卡债务 (xìnyòngkǎ zhàiwù)` with a financial advisor.
==== Business and Legal ====
In a corporate or legal setting, **债务** refers to liabilities on a balance sheet, contractual obligations, or debts subject to legal proceedings. You'll frequently encounter terms like `债务人 (zhàiwùrén)` for "debtor" and `债权人 (zhàiquánrén)` for "creditor."
==== Economics and Government ====
In news and academic discussions, **债务** is used to talk about corporate debt, local government debt, and national debt (`国家债务 guójiā zhàiwù`), which are major topics in the modern Chinese economy.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
  * 他最大的财务问题是他的信用卡**债务**。
  * Pinyin: Tā zuìdà de cáiwù wèntí shì tā de xìnyòngkǎ **zhàiwù**.
  * English: His biggest financial problem is his credit card debt.
  * Analysis: This is a formal and objective statement about a person's financial situation. **债务** is the perfect word here, as it refers to the official liability owed to the bank.
  * **Example 2:**
  * 为了买这套房子，我们背上了三十年的**债务**。
  * Pinyin: Wèile mǎi zhè tào fángzi, wǒmen bēishàng le sānshí nián de **zhàiwù**.
  * English: In order to buy this apartment, we took on thirty years of debt.
  * Analysis: The verb `背上 (bēishàng)` literally means "to carry on one's back." It vividly portrays debt as a long-term burden, a very common and evocative collocation with **债务**.
  * **Example 3:**
  * 这家公司因**债务**过多而宣布破产。
  * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn **zhàiwù** guòduō ér xuānbù pòchǎn.
  * English: This company declared bankruptcy due to excessive debt.
  * Analysis: This is a typical sentence from a business news report. **债务** here clearly refers to corporate liabilities.
  * **Example 4:**
  * 政府正在努力解决地方政府的**债务**问题。
  * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài nǔlì jiějué dìfāng zhèngfǔ de **zhàiwù** wèntí.
  * English: The government is working hard to resolve the local government debt issue.
  * Analysis: This shows the use of **债务** on a macroeconomic scale. It's formal and appropriate for discussing government policy.
  * **Example 5:**
  * 摆脱**债务**是他现在唯一的目​​标。
  * Pinyin: Bǎituō **zhàiwù** shì tā xiànzài wéiyī de mùbiāo.
  * English: Getting rid of debt is his only goal right now.
  * Analysis: `摆脱 (bǎituō)` means "to break free from" or "to shake off." This again frames **债务** as something negative that one is trapped by.
  * **Example 6:**
  * 在签订合同之前，请仔细阅读所有关于**债务**的条款。
  * Pinyin: Zài qiāndìng hétóng zhīqián, qǐng zǐxì yuèdú suǒyǒu guānyú **zhàiwù** de tiáokuǎn.
  * English: Before signing the contract, please carefully read all clauses concerning liabilities.
  * Analysis: This is a classic example of **债务** used in a legal or contractual context, where it translates best as "liabilities."
  * **Example 7:**
  * 他觉得对父母有一种**债务**感，因为他们为他付出了太多。
  * Pinyin: Tā juédé duì fùmǔ yǒu yī zhǒng **zhàiwù** gǎn, yīnwèi tāmen wèi tā fùchū le tài duō.
  * English: He feels a sense of indebtedness towards his parents because they sacrificed so much for him.
  * Analysis: Here, **债务** is used more metaphorically to mean a deep, almost quantifiable sense of obligation, though a `人情债 (rénqíngzhài)` might also be used in such contexts. The addition of `感 (gǎn)` turns it into a "feeling of debt."
  * **Example 8:**
  * 偿还**债务**是每个公民的法律义务。
  * Pinyin: Chánghuán **zhàiwù** shì měi ge gōngmín de fǎlǜ yìwù.
  * English: Repaying debts is the legal obligation of every citizen.
  * Analysis: `偿还 (chánghuán)` is a formal verb for "to repay." This sentence has a very formal, legalistic tone, where **债务** is the only appropriate choice.
  * **Example 9:**
  * 他们的**债务**与资产的比率非常高。
  * Pinyin: Tāmen de **zhàiwù** yǔ zīchǎn de bǐlǜ fēicháng gāo.
  * English: Their debt-to-asset ratio is very high.
  * Analysis: A standard financial phrase, showing how **债务** functions as a technical term in finance and accounting.
  * **Example 10:**
  * 我没有任何**债务**，感觉很轻松。
  * Pinyin: Wǒ méiyǒu rènhé **zhàiwù**, gǎnjué hěn qīngsōng.
  * English: I don't have any debt, and I feel very relaxed.
  * Analysis: This simple, personal statement uses **债务** to refer to the general concept of being in debt. It emphasizes the state of being "debt-free."
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
The most common mistake for learners is confusing **债务 (zhàiwù)** with **欠钱 (qiàn qián)**.
  *   **债务 (zhàiwù)** is a **noun**. It is the *concept* or *state* of debt/liability.
    *   Correct: 我有很高的**债务**。(Wǒ yǒu hěn gāo de zhàiwù.) - I have high debt.
    *   Incorrect: 我**债务**你一百块。 (Wǒ zhàiwù nǐ yìbǎi kuài.)
  *   **欠 (qiàn)** is a **verb** meaning "to owe." **欠钱 (qiàn qián)** is a verb-object phrase meaning "to owe money." It describes the *action* or *fact* of owing.
    *   Correct: 我**欠**你一百块。(Wǒ qiàn nǐ yìbǎi kuài.) - I owe you 100 yuan.
    *   Incorrect: 我有很高的**欠钱**。(Wǒ yǒu hěn gāo de qiàn qián.)
**In short:** Use **债务** to talk about "debt" as a formal noun