lài zhàng: 赖账 - To Welsh on a Debt, Refuse to Pay a Debt

• Keywords: lai zhang, 赖账, refuse to pay debt in Chinese, welsh on a debt Chinese, default on payment Chinese, Chinese word for not paying back money, what is lai zhang, deadbeat in Chinese, lǎolài, renege on a debt
• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese term 赖账 (lài zhàng), which means to deliberately refuse to pay back a debt. This page explores its strong negative connotation, cultural significance tied to trust and “face” (面子), and practical usage in modern China, including the related slang term for a deadbeat, “老赖 (lǎolài)”. It's more than just defaulting; it's a willful act of bad faith.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lài zhàng
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5/6 Level
• Concise Definition: To refuse to pay a debt that one owes; to welsh on a debt.
• In a Nutshell: 赖账 (lài zhàng) is not just about being late with a payment or being unable to pay. It describes the active, often shameless, refusal to pay what is owed. It carries a strong moral judgment, implying a betrayal of trust, a lack of integrity, and a conscious decision to break a promise. It's a serious accusation.

• 赖 (lài): This character can mean “to rely on,” but it often carries a negative connotation of “to shirk (responsibility),” “to blame falsely,” or “to act shamelessly.” In this context, it signifies a deliberate and blameworthy act of shirking one's duty.
• 账 (zhàng): This character means “account,” “bill,” or “debt.” The radical on the left, 贝 (bèi), originally meant “shell” and was used as currency in ancient China, so it's strongly associated with money and finance.

When combined, 赖账 (lài zhàng) literally means “to shirk a debt.” The negative, willful action of 赖 (lài) is applied directly to the financial obligation of 账 (zhàng), creating a potent and clear term for reneging on a debt.

In Chinese culture, borrowing and lending money, especially among friends, family, and business partners, is deeply rooted in personal trust (信用, xìnyòng) and relationships (关系, guānxi). It's often a verbal agreement sealed by mutual faith rather than a cold, legally-binding contract. Therefore, to 赖账 (lài zhàng) is a grave offense. It's not merely a financial default; it's a profound betrayal of that personal trust. This action causes the offender to lose 面子 (miànzi), or “face”—their social standing, reputation, and dignity. A person who is known to 赖账 will be seen as untrustworthy and dishonorable, making it difficult for them to function within their social and business circles. This can be contrasted with the Western concept of “filing for bankruptcy” or “defaulting on a loan.” While the financial outcome is similar, the Western concepts can sometimes be viewed as strategic financial decisions or unfortunate but impersonal outcomes. 赖账, on the other hand, is almost always perceived as a personal and moral failing—a flaw in one's character.

赖账 is a strong, accusatory term used in various situations where someone deliberately avoids paying what they owe.

• Personal Disputes: It's commonly used when friends or relatives fail to pay back personal loans. “他想赖账” (“He's trying to get out of paying me back”) is a common and frustrated complaint.
• Business and Commerce: It applies to clients who refuse to pay for goods or services, or business partners who don't honor financial agreements.
• Social Commentary and The “老赖 (lǎolài)”: In modern China, the term 老赖 (lǎolài) has become a popular and highly derogatory slang term. It literally means “old赖” and refers to a “deadbeat,” a chronic defaulter, or someone on a public blacklist for failing to honor court-ordered payments. The government even has public shaming systems for 老赖, displaying their names and faces in public areas or restricting their ability to travel or make luxury purchases.

The connotation is always negative and carries a heavy sense of moral condemnation. You would not use this term for someone who is simply late or has arranged to delay a payment; it is reserved for those acting in bad faith.

• Example 1:
  • 他借了我的钱，现在却想赖账。
  • Pinyin: Tā jiè le wǒ de qián, xiànzài què xiǎng lài zhàng.
  • English: He borrowed my money, but now he's trying to welsh on the debt.
  • Analysis: A direct and common accusation. The phrase “想赖账” (xiǎng lài zhàng) clearly indicates the speaker's belief that the refusal to pay is intentional.
• Example 2:
  • 你放心，我不是那种会赖账的人。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ fàngxīn, wǒ bù shì nà zhǒng huì lài zhàng de rén.
  • English: Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who would refuse to pay a debt.
  • Analysis: This is a sentence of reassurance, using the term in the negative to emphasize one's own trustworthiness and integrity.
• Example 3:
  • 做生意最怕遇到赖账的客户。
  • Pinyin: Zuò shēngyì zuì pà yùdào lài zhàng de kèhù.
  • English: The biggest fear in business is encountering clients who default on their payments.
  • Analysis: This shows the term's use in a business context. It highlights the risk and negative impact of such behavior on commerce.
• Example 4:
  • 他因为赖账，朋友们都开始疏远他了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi lài zhàng, péngyǒumen dōu kāishǐ shūyuǎn tā le.
  • English: Because he refused to pay his debts, all his friends have started to distance themselves from him.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly illustrates the social consequences of 赖账—the loss of relationships and trust.
• Example 5:
  • 你是不是想赖账啊？说好今天还钱的！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bù shì xiǎng lài zhàng a? Shuō hǎo jīntiān huán qián de!
  • English: Are you trying to get out of paying me back or what? You promised you'd pay today!
  • Analysis: This is a confrontational and colloquial way to accuse someone. The “啊 (a)” at the end adds a tone of frustration or disbelief.
• Example 6:
  • 那家公司信誉很差，经常赖账不给供应商付款。
  • Pinyin: Nà jiā gōngsī xìnyù hěn chà, jīngcháng lài zhàng bù gěi gōngyìngshāng fùkuǎn.
  • English: That company has a terrible reputation; they often refuse to pay their suppliers.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how the term can be applied to a corporate entity, not just an individual. It's tied directly to the concept of “信誉” (xìnyù) - credit/reputation.
• Example 7:
  • 没想到他竟然是个赖账的无赖！
  • Pinyin: Méi xiǎngdào tā jìngrán shì ge lài zhàng de wúlài!
  • English: I can't believe he's actually a scoundrel who welshes on his debts!
  • Analysis: Here, 赖账 is used adjectivally to describe a “无赖” (wúlài), which means a scoundrel or rascal. This combination strongly emphasizes the person's bad character.
• Example 8:
  • 法律不会允许你这样赖账的。
  • Pinyin: Fǎlǜ bù huì yǔnxǔ nǐ zhèyàng lài zhàng de.
  • English: The law will not allow you to get away with not paying your debt like this.
  • Analysis: This sentence brings in the legal dimension, implying that 赖账 can have formal, legal consequences beyond social ones.
• Example 9:
  • 他已经被法院列为“老赖”了，现在连飞机票都买不了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yǐjīng bèi fǎyuàn liè wéi “lǎolài” le, xiànzài lián fēijī piào dōu mǎi bù liǎo.
  • English: He has already been blacklisted by the court as a “deadbeat debtor,” and now he can't even buy a plane ticket.
  • Analysis: This example introduces the very important modern term “老赖” (lǎolài), a chronic defaulter, and points to the real-world consequences imposed by China's social credit system.
• Example 10:
  • 为了区区几百块钱就赖账，值得吗？
  • Pinyin: Wèile qūqū jǐ bǎi kuài qián jiù lài zhàng, zhídé ma?
  • English: Is it really worth it to welsh on a debt for just a few hundred kuai?
  • Analysis: A rhetorical question used to criticize someone's short-sightedness and poor values, implying that their reputation is worth far more than the small amount of money they refused to pay.

• `赖账 (lài zhàng)` vs. `欠钱 (qiàn qián)`: This is the most critical distinction for a learner.
  • `欠钱 (qiàn qián)` simply means “to owe money.” It is a neutral statement of fact. For example, “我欠他100块” (Wǒ qiàn tā 100 kuài) means “I owe him 100 kuai.”
  • `赖账 (lài zhàng)` is the *willful act of refusing to pay* the money you owe. It is a negative action.
  • Incorrect: ~~“我现在赖账100块。”~~ (This is wrong because it sounds like you are proudly declaring your refusal to pay).
  • Correct: “他欠我100块，但他想赖账。” (He owes me 100 kuai, but he is trying to get out of paying it).
• `赖账` vs. Inability to Pay: 赖账 implies bad faith and intent. If someone cannot pay due to genuine financial hardship but still communicates and intends to pay when they can, you would not typically use 赖账. That situation is better described as “他暂时还不起” (tā zànshí huán bù qǐ) - “He can't afford to pay it back right now.” 赖账 is for the person who starts ignoring your calls, making up excuses, or flatly denying they owe you money.

• 欠钱 (qiàn qián) - To owe money. A neutral state of being in debt, unlike the negative action of `赖账`.
• 老赖 (lǎolài) - A deadbeat; a chronic debt-dodger. A highly derogatory noun for a person who frequently engages in `赖账`.
• 信用 (xìnyòng) - Credit, trust, reputation. This is what a person loses when they `赖账`.
• 拖欠 (tuōqiàn) - To be in arrears; to delay payment. This is less severe than `赖账`, as it implies delay rather than an outright refusal to ever pay.
• 还钱 (huán qián) - To pay back money. The direct antonym of the action implied by `赖账`.
• 债务 (zhàiwù) - Debt, liability. A more formal and neutral term for what is owed.
• 面子 (miànzi) - “Face”; social standing, dignity. `赖账` is a major cause of losing face.
• 言而无信 (yán ér wú xìn) - An idiom meaning “to go back on one's word; to be untrustworthy.” A person who would `赖账` is a perfect example of someone who is `言而无信`.
• 赖皮 (làipí) - To be shameless, to act like a rascal, often to get out of a responsibility. It's a broader term for shameless behavior, of which `赖账` is a specific type.