Definition
欠 (qiàn) is the primary verb for 'owe' (money, favors, apologies) and 'lack, be deficient in'. For 'owe', it is more formal than the broader 该 (gāi), which also often means 'should'. For 'lack', 亏 (kuī) implies a loss or being in the wrong, while 欠缺 (qiàn quē) is a more formal synonym that can also be a noun ('shortcoming').
verb
to owe (money, debt, favor, apology)to lackto be deficient in(formal) to raise slightly (a part of one's body, e.g. 欠身)
Easily confused
- 钱qiánsound-alikemoney
- 前qiánsound-alikefront (location)
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name on a document)
- 签qiānsound-aliketo sign (one's name); to write brief comments on a document
- 千qiānsound-alikethousand
- 牵qiānsound-aliketo pull, to lead (an animal on a tether)
- 浅qiǎnsound-alikeshallow (of depth)
- 迁qiānsound-aliketo move; to relocate (residence, office, capital, etc.)
Examples
- 欠。Tā hái qiàn wǒ wǔ bǎi kuài qián méi huán.He still owes me five hundred yuan and hasn't paid it back.
- 欠。Zhège jìhuà hái qiàn yìxiē xìjié.This plan still lacks some details.
- 欠欠。Tā zhàn qǐlái shí wēiwēi qiàn le qiàn shēn.He slightly raised his body when standing up.
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