(qiàn) — to owe (money, debt, favor, apology); to lack, to be deficient in; (formal) to raise slightly (a part of one's body, e.g. 欠身)

Definition

欠 covers two main senses: to owe (money, an apology — 债 debt is the noun form) and to be short of something (similar to 亏's 'deficient' sense, but 欠 is the more common everyday verb).

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)

Examples

  • Tā hái qiàn wǒ wǔ bǎi kuài qián méi hái.
    He still owes me five hundred yuan and hasn't paid it back.
  • Zhè ge jì huà hái qiàn yì xiē xì jié.
    This plan still lacks some details.
  • Tā zhàn qǐ lái shí wēi wēi qiàn le qiàn shēn.
    He slightly raised his body when standing up.

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