赤字

あかじ

deficit, go in the red

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 赤字 (chìzì)

赤字 literally means "red characters," referring to the traditional accounting practice of writing losses in red ink. In modern usage, it specifically denotes a financial deficit, when expenses exceed income.

Usage in Context

赤字 is commonly used in business, government, and personal finance contexts to describe a negative balance or loss. It often appears in phrases like 公司赤字 (company deficit) or 政府赤字 (government deficit).

Common Collocations

  • 赤字增加: deficit increases, used when losses grow larger.
  • 减少赤字: reduce deficit, often a goal in budgeting.
  • 出现赤字: to have a deficit, describing the occurrence of financial loss.

Nuances and Tips

When using 赤字, the focus is on the financial shortfall itself, not just any negative situation. It contrasts with (yíngyú), meaning surplus or profit. Avoid confusing 赤字 with (red color), which shares the character but has a different meaning.

赤字 is a formal term often found in news reports, financial statements, and economic discussions. In casual conversation, people might use phrases like (kuī qián, lose money) instead.

Example Sentences

The company's deficit this year has increased a lot compared to last year.

The government decided to cut expenses to reduce the deficit.

This company has had deficits for three consecutive years; the situation is