Word
赤字
Meaning in Englishdeficit, go in the red
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Sentence
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Word context
What it means
赤字 means a deficit or red ink; it denotes negative balance in financial records, indicating expenses exceed income, and is used in discussions of corporate, government, or personal budgets, often contrasted with 黒字 meaning profitable or in the black.
Main meanings
- Financial deficit or negative balance in ledgers, budgets, or statements.
- Figurative shortfall in resources, funding, or time.
- Usage in media or policy discussions to denote underfunding or losses.
How to use it
Used in formal and semi-formal contexts such as financial reports, budgets, and press coverage; also common in discussions of personal finances. Generally more common in written Japanese than in casual speech; used with verbs like become or appear to describe becoming or existing in deficit.
Variants and close terms
- 黒字 (くろじ, kuroji) — in the black; profitability
- 赤字経営 (あかじけいえい, akaji keiei) — deficit-driven management
- 赤字国債 (あかじこくさい, akaji kokusai) — government bonds issued to cover deficits
Composition
- 赤: red; signals negative outcomes in financial contexts, especially in ledger marks.
- 字: character; a written sign; together they form a concept of red ink used to denote a deficit or loss in documentation.
Word class
Noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N2
ローマ字
roomaji
romanization, Roman letters (alphabet)
N3
数字
suuji
digit, numeral, number
N3
文字
moji / monji
letter, character, written symbol
N3
真っ赤
makka
deep red, flushed (of face)
N3
字体
jitai
font, lettering
N4
赤ん坊
akanbou
baby, infant
N4
字
ji
letter, character
N4
赤ちゃん
akachan
baby, infant
N5
赤い
akai
red
Kanji