kwai1 hung1虧空亏空

Jyutpingkwai1 hung1

Yalekwāi hūng

動詞

Definition

To have a deficit, run out of money, or embezzle funds.

to have a deficit; to spend more than one earns; to run out of money
to embezzle and use up funds

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How it's used

Focuses specifically on the act of misusing or draining funds, often implying a breach of trust or financial mismanagement. It carries a formal or serious weight, making it more common in news reports or discussions about legal or professional misconduct rather than casual conversation about personal spending.

Examples

keoi5佢zou6做saang1生ji3意kwai1虧hung1空zo2咗hou2好do1多cin2錢。

He embezzled a lot of money from the business.

nei5你dim2點gaai2解wui2會kwai1虧hung1空gung1公fun2款㗎？

Why did you embezzle public funds?

Common phrases

kwai1虧hung1空gung1公fun2款

embezzle public funds

kwai1虧hung1空gwok3國fu3庫

drain the national treasury

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 蝕本, which refers to a business making a loss through normal operations. 虧空 implies an active, often dishonest, removal or depletion of money that should have been managed responsibly.