欠 (qiàn): to owe (money, a favor, etc.)

Meanings

1 to owe (money, a favor, etc.)
2 to lack; to be short of
3 to yawn

Characters

欠

qiàn

to owe; to lack; to yawn

Examples

他欠我一百块钱。

Tā qiàn wǒ yībǎi kuài qián.

He owes me 100 yuan.

我欠你一个人情。

Wǒ qiàn nǐ yīgè rénqíng.

I owe you a favor.

这篇文章还欠点火候。

Zhè piān wénzhāng hái qiàn diǎn huǒhòu.

This article still lacks a bit of refinement.

他打了个哈欠。

Tā dǎ le gè hāqian.

He yawned.

Tips

usage

欠 can be financial (欠钱, owe money) or social (欠人情, owe a favor). 人情债 (social debt) is an important concept in Chinese culture.

usage

哈欠 = yawn. 打哈欠 = to yawn.

Components

pictograph

欠 qiàn

to owe; to lack; to yawn

Self-radical and self-pictograph; Kangxi radical #76. The oracle bone and bronze forms drew a kneeling person leaning back with mouth wide open, breath visibly streaming out. From that yawn-image came the senses of releasing breath, wanting (lacking), and falling short (owing). Anchors a family of mouth-open verbs: 欢 (glad), 歌 (sing), 歇 (rest), 歉 (apologize).