1.
deficit; loss; in the red
A financial situation where expenses exceed income or losses exceed gains.
今月は赤字だった。
This month was in the red.
会社は３年連続で赤字だ。
The company has been in deficit for three consecutive years.
家計が赤字にならないように毎月の支出を見直している。
I review my monthly expenses so the household budget doesn't go into the red.
2.
red letters; corrections in red
Text written or printed in red ink, often for corrections or emphasis.
赤字で直す。
Correct it in red ink.
先生が作文に赤字を入れた。
The teacher put red corrections on the essay.
原稿に赤字がたくさん入っていたので、書き直すことにした。
There were so many red corrections in the manuscript that I decided to rewrite it.
赤字 literally means 'red letters', from the practice of recording losses in red ink.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 赤字になる (to go into the red)
- 赤字を出す (to incur a loss)
- 赤字経営 (operating at a loss)
- 赤字国債 (deficit-covering bonds)
- 財政赤字 (fiscal deficit)
CONTRAST:
- 赤字 (deficit, in the red)
- 黒字 (surplus, in the black)
NOTE:
In Japanese accounting, losses traditionally were written in red (赤), while profits were in black (黒), similar to Western conventions.
Related Words
Antonym:
黒字 (surplus)