fùzhài: 负债 - Debt, Liability, To be in debt

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• Summary: Learn the meaning of 负债 (fùzhài), the primary Chinese word for “debt” and “liability.” This comprehensive guide explores its use in personal finance, business, and even its metaphorical meaning of feeling indebted. Understand the cultural weight of fùzhài in China and how it differs from Western views on credit, and learn to use it correctly in conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fùzhài
• Part of Speech: Noun / Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: A debt or a liability; the state of owing money.
• In a Nutshell: 负债 (fùzhài) is the formal and general term for being “in the red.” It encompasses everything from a company's financial liabilities on a balance sheet to the personal burden of a mortgage. While in English “debt” can sometimes be seen as a tool (e.g., “good debt”), fùzhài carries a consistently heavy and negative connotation, implying a burden that needs to be resolved.

• 负 (fù): This character's original form depicts a person carrying something on their back. Its core meaning is “to bear,” “to carry a burden,” or “to shoulder.” It can also mean “negative,” as in negative numbers.
• 债 (zhài): This character is composed of the person radical `亻(rén)` and `责 (zé)`. `责 (zé)` means “responsibility,” “duty,” or “to demand.” Therefore, `债 (zhài)` literally means a “person's responsibility,” specifically a financial one that is demanded back.

When combined, 负债 (fùzhài) paints a vivid picture: “to carry (负) a financial responsibility (债).” This etymology is key to understanding its burdensome feeling.

Historically, Chinese culture has held a strong aversion to 负债. Thrift and saving were paramount virtues, and being in debt was often viewed not just as a financial problem, but as a moral failing or a source of deep shame (丢脸 - diūliǎn, “to lose face”). The idiom “无债一身轻 (wú zhài yī shēn qīng)” — “to be without debt is to have a light body” — perfectly captures this traditional ideal. This contrasts sharply with modern American/Western consumer culture, where credit is ubiquitous and certain types of debt (like a mortgage or student loan) are normalized and even encouraged as “investments” or financial leverage. While modern China has seen a massive shift with the rise of mortgages, car loans, and digital credit platforms like Ant Group's “Huābài” (花呗), the underlying cultural caution remains. Young people may use credit for convenience, but the goal is almost always to pay it off quickly. The concept of carrying a credit card balance for years, common in the West, is still largely seen as irresponsible. Furthermore, 负债 extends beyond money. The term 人情债 (rénqíng zhài), or a “debt of human favor,” is a powerful social concept. If someone does you a significant favor, you carry this non-financial 债 (zhài) until you can repay it, reflecting the deep importance of reciprocity in Chinese social relations (guānxi).

负债 (fùzhài) is used in both formal and informal contexts, but almost always implies a serious or significant amount of debt.

• Corporate and Economic Contexts: This is the most common and formal usage. You'll see it constantly in financial news and business reports.
  • `公司负债很高` (The company's liabilities are very high.)
  • `资产负债表` (Balance Sheet, literally “Asset-Liability-Table”)
  • `国家负债` (National debt)
• Personal Finance: When talking about large, structured debts like a home loan.
  • `我们家最大的负债就是房贷。` (My family's biggest debt is the mortgage.)
  • `他因为赌博而负债累累。` (He is deep in debt due to gambling.)
• Metaphorical and Emotional Debt: To express a deep sense of obligation.
  • `我感觉对父母负债太多。` (I feel I owe my parents too much / I am too indebted to my parents.)

• Example 1:
  • 这家公司因经营不善而负债一百万。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn jīngyíng bùshàn ér fùzhài yībǎi wàn.
  • English: This company is one million in debt due to poor management.
  • Analysis: A standard, formal use of 负债 to state the condition and amount of a company's debt.
• Example 2:
  • 为了买这套房子，我们负债了三十年。
  • Pinyin: Wèile mǎi zhè tào fángzi, wǒmen fùzhài le sānshí nián.
  • English: In order to buy this apartment, we took on 30 years of debt.
  • Analysis: Here, 负债 is used as a verb, “to take on debt.” It highlights the long-term burden of a mortgage.
• Example 3:
  • 他的个人负债率太高，银行不给他贷款了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de gèrén fùzhài lǜ tài gāo, yínháng bù gěi tā dàikuǎn le.
  • English: His personal debt ratio is too high, so the bank won't give him a loan anymore.
  • Analysis: Shows a key financial term, 负债率 (fùzhài lǜ), or debt ratio. This is common in financial discussions.
• Example 4:
  • 很多年轻人不愿意年纪轻轻就负债买房。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō niánqīngrén bù yuànyì niánjì qīngqīng jiù fùzhài mǎifáng.
  • English: Many young people are unwilling to be in debt at a young age to buy a house.
  • Analysis: This sentence captures the modern tension between needing a home and the cultural desire to avoid debt.
• Example 5:
  • 摆脱负债是他目前最大的目标。
  • Pinyin: Bǎituō fùzhài shì tā mùqián zuìdà de mùbiāo.
  • English: Getting out of debt is his biggest goal right now.
  • Analysis: 摆脱 (bǎituō), “to break free from,” is often paired with 负债, reinforcing the idea of debt as a trap or burden.
• Example 6:
  • 我感觉欠了他一个很大的人情债，这比负债还难还。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué qiànle tā yīgè hěn dà de rénqíng zhài, zhè bǐ fùzhài hái nán huán.
  • English: I feel I owe him a huge favor, which is even harder to repay than a financial debt.
  • Analysis: This example directly compares a financial 负债 with a social 人情债 (rénqíng zhài), highlighting the weight of social obligations.
• Example 7:
  • 即使负债经营，他也要坚持把公司做下去。
  • Pinyin: Jíshǐ fùzhài jīngyíng, tā yě yào jiānchí bǎ gōngsī zuò xiàqù.
  • English: Even if it means operating at a loss (lit. operating with debt), he insists on keeping the company running.
  • Analysis: 负债经营 (fùzhài jīngyíng) is a set phrase meaning “to operate with liabilities/debt,” common in business.
• Example 8:
  • 查看公司的资产负债表是投资前的重要一步。
  • Pinyin: Chákàn gōngsī de zīchǎn fùzhài biǎo shì tóuzī qián de zhòngyào yībù.
  • English: Reviewing a company's balance sheet (asset-liability statement) is an important step before investing.
  • Analysis: Highlights the important compound noun 资产负债表 (zīchǎn fùzhài biǎo), or balance sheet.
• Example 9:
  • 他一生勤俭，从不向人借钱，做到了无债一身轻。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīshēng qínjiǎn, cóng bù xiàng rén jièqián, zuòdàole wú zhài yī shēn qīng.
  • English: He was frugal his whole life, never borrowing money from others, and truly achieved the state of being “light without debt.”
  • Analysis: This uses the common idiom where 债 stands in for 负债. It powerfully illustrates the traditional cultural ideal.
• Example 10:
  • 高额的医疗费用让他一夜之间负债累累。
  • Pinyin: Gāo'é de yīliáo fèiyòng ràng tā yīyè zhījiān fùzhài lěilěi.
  • English: The high medical expenses made him fall deep into debt overnight.
  • Analysis: Uses the chengyu (idiom) 负债累累 (fùzhài lěilěi), meaning “piled high with debt” or “deep in debt.”

• `负债 (fùzhài)` vs. `欠 (qiàn)`: This is the most common mistake for learners.
  • 负债 (fùzhài) is a noun or state: “debt” or “to be in a state of debt.” It's more formal and abstract.
  • 欠 (qiàn) is a verb: “to owe.” It's used for specific actions and is more common in daily speech.
  • Correct: 我欠你100块钱。(Wǒ qiàn nǐ 100 kuài qián.) - I owe you 100 RMB.
  • Incorrect: 我负债你100块钱。(Wǒ fùzhài nǐ 100 kuài qián.)
  • Think of it this way: Because you `欠` money, you are in a state of `负债`.
• `负债 (fùzhài)` vs. `贷款 (dàikuǎn)`:
  • `贷款 (dàikuǎn)` is a loan (the money you receive from the bank). It's the cause.
  • `负债 (fùzhài)` is the debt (the liability you have as a result). It's the effect.
  • You take out a `贷款` which results in `负债`.
• `负债 (fùzhài)` vs. `债务 (zhàiwù)`:
  • These are very close synonyms. 债务 (zhàiwù) is often used in slightly more legal, technical, or formal written contexts (e.g., `债务纠纷` - debt dispute). In many cases, they are interchangeable, but 负债 is more common when talking about the general state or when used as a verb.

• 资产 (zīchǎn) - Assets. The direct antonym of 负债. The two form the basis of a balance sheet.
• 债务 (zhàiwù) - Debt/Obligation. A very close synonym, often used in formal or legal contexts.
• 欠 (qiàn) - To owe. The common verb used in daily life for owing something to someone.
• 贷款 (dàikuǎn) - A loan. A common source of 负债.
• 还债 (huánzhài) - To repay a debt. The action taken to eliminate 负债.
• 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ) - Credit card. A major source of modern consumer 负债.
• 房贷 (fángdài) - Mortgage (lit. “house loan”). One of the largest forms of personal 负债.
• 人情债 (rénqíng zhài) - Debt of human favor. A non-financial, social obligation that can feel heavier than a real 负债.
• 资不抵债 (zī bù dǐ zhài) - An idiom meaning “assets do not cover liabilities”; insolvent or bankrupt.