拖欠

tuōqiàn

verb HSK 7-9 #20,637

Meanings

1 to default on a payment
2 to be in arrears
3 to owe (overdue payment)

Characters

to drag; to delay

to owe; to lack

Examples

公司拖欠了员工三个月的工资。

Gōngsī tuōqiàn le yuángōng sān gè yuè de gōngzī.

The company owes employees three months of unpaid wages.

他拖欠房租好几个月了。

Tā tuōqiàn fángzū hǎojǐ gè yuè le.

He has been behind on rent for several months.

Tips

memory

拖 (to drag/delay) + 欠 (to owe) = to drag out what you owe, i.e., to default on payment.

Stroke Order

拖 tuō

欠 qiàn