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March 24, 2026
赤字chìzì(chi4zi4)
赤字 refers to a financial deficit, indicating that expenses exceed revenues. It is commonly used in business and economic contexts to describe situations where a company, organization, or government is operating at a loss.
Strokes13Frequency#21177DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, discussing financial deficits is often viewed as a sensitive topic, particularly in business settings. Understanding 赤字 is crucial for grasping the financial challenges faced by companies and governments.
Memory Tip
Imagine a red pencil (赤, chi4) drawing a big 'minus' sign to indicate loss (字, zi4) in a financial report. The red color symbolizes the deficits that need to be addressed, making it easy to remember that 赤字 means 'deficit'.
Meanings of 赤字
chìzì(chi4zi4)
1(financial) deficit
2red letter
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 赤字
赤字Simplified
13Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#21177Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 赤字
Podcast: 赤字
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AI Study Notes for 赤字
Quick Contrast
赤字 (deficit) vs 亏损 (loss) — use 赤字 when specifically discussing a financial deficit related to budget or revenue, while 亏损 can refer to any type of loss, not limited to financial contexts.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 赤字 with 盈余 (surplus), which has the opposite meaning. This term is used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 赤字 connects with financial vocabulary and concepts such as 盈余 (surplus) and 收入 (income). Focus on understanding how it fits into discussions about budgeting and financial health.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to use 赤字 when discussing profits; for example, saying '我们的公司有赤字' (Our company has a deficit) instead of '我们的公司有盈利' (Our company is profitable). Make sure to use the correct term based on the financial context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赤字
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赤字 refers to a financial deficit, indicating that expenses exceed revenues. It is commonly used in business and economic contexts to describe situations where a company, organization, or government is operating at a loss.
When to use 赤字
Learners often confuse 赤字 with 盈余 (surplus), which has the opposite meaning. This term is used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
赤字 or something close to it
赤字 (deficit) vs 亏损 (loss) — use 赤字 when specifically discussing a financial deficit related to budget or revenue, while 亏损 can refer to any type of loss, not limited to financial contexts.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to use 赤字 when discussing profits; for example, saying '我们的公司有赤字' (Our company has a deficit) instead of '我们的公司有盈利' (Our company is profitable). Make sure to use the correct term based on the financial context.
Write 赤字
赤
字
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Practice writing 赤字 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 赤字
赤字 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
贸易____是经济快速发展带来的负面产物。
The trade deficit is the flip side of a rapidly expanding economy.
Example Sentences for 赤字 (8)
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1
贸易赤字是经济快速发展带来的负面产物。
mào yì chì zì shì jīng jì kuài sù fā zhǎn dài lái de fù miàn chǎn wù。
The trade deficit is the flip side of a rapidly expanding economy.
