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亏空 (kuī kōng) — to be in deficit; to have a shortfall (in finances)

Definition

亏空 (kuīkōng) is a formal verb for running a financial shortfall or deficit, typically used in business or institutional contexts. As an adjective-noun, it can also describe the resulting gap (e.g. 亏空几百万).

verb
to be in deficitto have a shortfall (in finances)

Examples

  • 亏空。
    Gōng sī jīn nián kuī kōng le hěn dà yì bǐ qián.
    The company ran a large deficit this year.
  • ，亏空。
    Yīn wèi guǎn lǐ bú shàn, tā yí gòng kuī kōng le shàng bǎi wàn.
    Due to poor management, he ended up with a shortfall of over a million.
  • ，亏空。
    Xiàng mù zī jīn bú gòu, kǒng pà yào kuī kōng bù shǎo.
    The project doesn't have enough funding; I'm afraid it will run a considerable deficit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

亏kuīloss
空kōngemptiness

亏 (loss) and 空 (emptiness) combine to mean a financial shortfall.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 虧; 亏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亏亏kuīexhale
Sound part声符shēngfú
雐
雐hū虧kuī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 虧 pairs 雐, a sound part, with 亏, a part meaning exhale. The simplified 亏 is a later abbreviation.

Open 亏 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave, hole
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng空kōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →
Appears in
Finance & Banking

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