1.
deficit; loss; in the red
A financial situation where expenses exceed income or losses exceed gains.
2.
red letters; corrections in red
Text written or printed in red ink, often for corrections or emphasis.
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)
Similar words
- 赤字 (deficit, in the red)
- 黒字 (surplus, in the black)
Usage
In Japanese accounting, losses traditionally were written in red (赤), while profits were in black (黒), similar to Western conventions.