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

HSK 3

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.

HSK 3

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