1. money that is owed to someone else
欠他人的錢
He took out a loan to pay off his credit card debt.
他申請了一筆貸款來償還信用卡債務。
The company is struggling under a mountain of debt.
這間公司正背負著巨額債務，舉步維艱。
Debt Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
debt
noun
快速理解
What does "Debt" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Debt"?
指欠他人的金錢或人情，需要償還的義務。
- 1
金錢債務
EN: Money that is owed to someone else.
翻譯: 欠他人的金錢。
- 2
人情債
EN: A feeling of gratitude or obligation for a favor or help received.
翻譯: 因受惠或幫助而產生的感激或虧欠感。
- 3
負債狀態
EN: The state of owing money, especially a large amount.
翻譯: 欠債的狀態，尤指欠下大筆款項。
- 4
道德義務
EN: Something, especially a moral obligation, that is owed to someone.
翻譯: 虧欠他人的事物，尤指道德上的義務。
小提醒：注意 'debt' 的 'b' 不發音，讀作 /det/。常見片語 'in debt' 表示『負債』，'pay off a debt' 表示『還清債務』。
發音（How to Pronounce "Debt" in English）
How to pronounce "Debt" in English?"Debt" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Debt" from YouTube Videos
I Work At A Bookstore And Live On $53K/Year In NYC
Unknown channel
“For me, it comes down to three things: I don't have a lot of debt, I have very reasonable rent and I don't spend a lot of money.”
(1 out of 16)
Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Debt"?How does "Debt" change by context?
2. the state of owing money
負債的狀態
After years of overspending, the family was deeply in debt.
經過多年過度消費，這個家庭已深陷債務之中。
The new policy aims to help students get out of debt faster.
新政策旨在幫助學生更快地擺脫債務。
3. a feeling of gratitude for a favor or service
因恩惠或幫助而產生的感激之情
I owe you a debt of gratitude for all your help.
對於你所有的幫助，我欠你一份感激之情。
We are in your debt for saving our son's life.
你救了我們兒子的命，我們對你感激不盡。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Debt"?How to make natural sentences with "Debt"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be in + debt | 負債；欠債 | The company is deeply in debt. (這家公司負債累累。) |
| get into + debt | 陷入債務 | It's easy to get into debt with credit cards. (使用信用卡很容易陷入債務。) |
| pay off + debt | 還清債務 | They worked hard to pay off their mortgage debt. (他們努力工作以還清房貸。) |
| run up + debt | 積欠債務 | He ran up a huge debt gambling online. (他因線上賭博積欠了巨額債務。) |
| debt + of + [amount] | 金額為…的債務 | The government has a national debt of trillions. (政府有數兆元的國債。) |
| debt + to + [person/entity] | 欠（某人/機構）的債 | I owe a debt of gratitude to my teacher. (我欠我的老師一份恩情。) |
| be out of + debt | 沒有負債；還清債務 | After years of struggle, they are finally out of debt. (經過多年奮鬥，他們終於無債一身輕。) |
用法說明
How is "Debt" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Debt"?
debt 與 debt to 的用法
- "debt" 作為名詞，通常指欠款或債務本身，是一個具體的狀態或總額。
- "debt to" 則常用於表達「對...負有債務」或「欠...人情」，後面接債權人或受惠對象。
- 在正式或法律文件中，"debt" 常單獨使用；而在表達道德或人情債時，"debt to" 的結構更為常見。
- 片語 "in debt to" 強調處於負債狀態，而 "pay a debt to" 則強調償還的動作。
對比範例： EN: The company has a massive debt. 翻譯: 這家公司背負著巨額債務。
EN:I owe a debt to my mentor for his guidance.
翻譯:我欠我的導師一份人情，感謝他的指導。
EN:They are struggling with credit card debt.
翻譯:他們正苦於償還信用卡債務。
EN:We are in debt to the pioneers of this technology.
翻譯:我們受惠於這項技術的先驅者。
總結建議
一般情況下，指具體「欠款」時用 "debt"，指明「欠誰的」或表達抽象「人情債」時則使用 "debt to" 結構。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Debt" and similar words?How to choose "Debt" vs alternatives?
debt vs liability
「debt」通常指具體的金錢債務，而「liability」範圍更廣，泛指任何法律或財務上的義務或責任。
debt vs loan
「loan」是產生「debt」的行為或借出的款項本身；「debt」則是借款後所欠的狀態或金額。
debt vs obligation
「debt」幾乎總是指金錢債務，而「obligation」可指任何道義、法律或社會上的責任，不一定是金錢。
口語用法
How is "Debt" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Debt"?
引述
在對話中，人們有時會直接引用或提及「debt」這個詞，來討論具體的財務狀況或義務。 EN: I finally paid off my student debt last month. 翻譯: 我上個月終於還清了我的學貸。
EN:She's in a lot of debt after starting her business.
翻譯:創業之後她背了很多債。
語氣強調
為了強調債務的嚴重性或個人感受，說話者會使用加強語氣的詞彙或短語來修飾「debt」。 EN: I am drowning in debt right now. 翻譯: 我現在簡直被債務淹沒了。
EN:He feels a huge debt of gratitude towards his mentor.
翻譯:他對他的導師懷有極大的感激之情（字面：感激之債）。
停頓填充
在思考如何表達或組織句子時，說話者可能會以「debt」相關的短語作為填充，引出後續的解釋或細節。 EN: The national debt... well, it's a complex issue for the economy. 翻譯: 國債…嗯，這對經濟來說是個複雜的問題。
EN:My credit card debt — you know, it just keeps growing.
翻譯:我的信用卡債務 — 你知道的，它就是不斷增加。
正式寫作注意：在正式或學術寫作中（如報告、論文），應避免使用上述口語中的填充詞（如「well」、「you know」）或過於情緒化的比喻（如「drowning in debt」）。建議使用更精確、中性的表述，例如「has significant liabilities」或「carries a substantial debt burden」。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Debt"?What fixed phrases with "Debt" should I remember?
in debt
be in debt
負債，欠債
pay off a debt
pay off (a/the) debt
還清債務
national debt
national debt
國債
debt relief
debt relief
債務減免
owe a debt of gratitude
owe (someone) a debt of gratitude
欠下人情債，對...心懷感激
bad debt
bad debt
壞帳，呆帳
debt collector
debt collector
討債人，債務催收員
run up a debt
run up (a) debt
積欠債務
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Debt"?Which "Debt" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×I have a debt of 1000 dollars to him.
✓I owe him a debt of 1000 dollars. / I am in debt to him for 1000 dollars.
The pattern 'have a debt of [amount] to [person]' is unnatural. Use 'owe [person] a debt of [amount]' or 'be in debt to [person] for [amount]'.
×He is in a big debt.
✓He is in (big) debt. / He has a big debt.
When using the phrase 'in debt', 'debt' is usually uncountable and does not take an article ('a'). You can use 'a debt' when it is countable and specified (e.g., 'a debt of $500').
×I need to pay my debt.
✓I need to pay off my debt. / I need to repay my debt.
'Pay debt' is incomplete. The common collocations are 'pay off a debt' (to settle it completely) or 'repay a debt'.
×We have many debts.
✓We have a lot of debt. / We have many debts. (Context dependent)
While 'debts' (plural) is grammatically correct for multiple specific sums owed, in general contexts about the state of owing money, 'debt' as an uncountable noun is more common (e.g., 'in debt', 'a lot of debt'). Use the plural for distinct, individual obligations.
×She has a moral debt with her mentor.
✓She owes a moral debt to her mentor. / She is in her mentor's moral debt.
The preposition 'with' is incorrect for 'debt' in this abstract sense. Use 'to' (owe a debt to someone) or the possessive form (be in someone's debt).
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Debt"?What are tense/participle forms of "Debt"?