債務(さいむ)

Etymology

債(さい) (debt, bond) + 務(む) (duty, obligation)

Similar words

• 債務(さいむ) (debt - obligation to pay) ↔ 債権(さいけん) (credit - right to collect)
• 債務者(さいむしゃ) (debtor) ↔ 債権者(さいけんしゃ) (creditor)

Register

• 債務(さいむ) - formal/legal term
• 借金(しゃっきん) - casual term for personal debt
• ローン - loanword for loans

Common compound terms

• 債務(さいむ)超過(ちょうか) (insolvency - liabilities exceed assets)
• 債務(さいむ)整理(せいり) (debt consolidation/restructuring)
• 債務(さいむ)不履行(ふりこう) (default on debt)
• 連帯(れんたい)債務(さいむ) (joint and several liability)
• 多重(たじゅう)債務(さいむ) (multiple debts - often problematic)

Legal context

債務(さいむ) is the standard legal term in Japanese civil law for obligations that can be enforced.

Common collocations

• 債務(さいむ)を負(お)う (to incur debt)
• 債務(さいむ)を返済(へんさい)する (to repay debt)
• 債務(さいむ)が膨(ふく)らむ (debt swells/grows)
• 債務(さいむ)から逃(に)げる (to run from debt)