Chinese–EnglishWith examples

欠

qiàn · qian

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to owe
  2. to lack
  3. (literary) to be deficient in
  4. (bound form) yawn
  5. to raise slightly (a part of one's body)
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In a conversation

0:16 cartoon

One more meal

  1. Liangliang

    谢谢(xièxie)你(nǐ)帮(bāng)我(wǒ)搬家(bānjiā)，我(wǒ)欠(qiàn)你(nǐ)一顿(yīdùn)饭(fàn)。

    Thank you for helping me move. I owe you a meal.

  2. Dengdeng

    没关系(méiguānxi)，你(nǐ)上次(shàngcì)也(yě)这么(zhème)说(shuō)。

    Never mind, you said that last time too.

  3. Liangliang

    上次(shàngcì)的(de)饭(fàn)，我(wǒ)也(yě)欠(qiàn)着(zhe)吗(ma)？

    Do I still owe last time's meal too?

  4. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，你(nǐ)欠(qiàn)我(wǒ)两顿(liǎngdùn)饭(fàn)了(le)。

    Yes, you owe me two meals now.

  5. Liangliang

    那(nà)我(wǒ)这次(zhècì)请(qǐng)你(nǐ)吃(chī)两顿(liǎngdùn)！

    Then this time I will treat you to two meals!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

汤(tāng)姆(mǔ)把(bǎ)欠(qiàn)我(wǒ)的(de)钱(qián)还(huán)给(gěi)我(wǒ)了(le)。

Tom paid me back the money he owed me.

Tatoeba: Chinese by tianblr · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)得(děi)先(xiān)等(děng)汤(tāng)姆(mǔ)把(bǎ)他(tā)欠(qiàn)我(wǒ)的(de)钱(qián)给(gěi)还(huán)了(le)，才(cái)能(néng)把(bǎ)欠(qiàn)你(nǐ)的(de)还(huán)给(gěi)你(nǐ)。

I had to wait for Tom to pay me the money he owed me before I could pay you back.

Tatoeba: Chinese by DaoSeng · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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