geoi2 zaai3舉債举债
Jyutpinggeoi2 zaai3
Yalegéui jaai
Definition
To borrow money or go into debt.
writtenmoney
How it's used
This term is strictly formal and typically appears in news reports, financial documents, or serious discussions about economic conditions. You will almost never hear it in casual conversation, where people prefer using 借錢 or 負債. It carries a heavy, serious tone that implies financial distress or a significant strategic move.
Examples
The company had to borrow money to survive due to poor operations.
He actually chose to go into debt in order to expand his business.
Related words
Common phrases
to live on borrowed money
to operate a business using borrowed capital
Common mistake
Do not use this in daily life when asking a friend for a loan, as it sounds like you are reading from a business report. Stick to 借錢 for any personal or informal context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
