zaai3 zai2債仔债仔
Jyutpingzaai3 zai2
Yalejaai jái
Definition
Debtor; a person who owes someone else money.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of frustration or annoyance, often used by creditors when complaining about someone who is late on payments. It is distinctly informal and implies a personal relationship or direct involvement in the lending process. Avoid using this in professional or legal contexts where terms like 債務人 are more appropriate.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is my debtor, he has delayed paying back the money for a long time.
Haven't you managed to track down the debtor yet?
Related words
Common phrases
to chase a debtor for money
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 債主, which refers to the creditor or the person who is owed money. Using them interchangeably will cause significant confusion about who owes whom.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
