債務(さいむ)

さいむ
noun
debt; obligation
1. debt; obligation; liability
A legal or financial obligation to pay money or perform a duty. A formal term used in legal, financial, and business contexts.
会社(かいしゃ)は多額(たがく)の債務(さいむ)を抱(かか)えている。
The company is burdened with a large amount of debt.
債務(さいむ)を返済(へんさい)するのに10年(じゅうねん)かかった。
It took 10 years to repay the debt.
債務(さいむ)超過(ちょうか)で倒産(とうさん)した。
They went bankrupt due to excessive debt.

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

CONTRAST:

  • 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)

FORMALITY:

  • 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)

Related Words

Antonym: 債権(さいけん) (credit/claim)
Related: ローン (loan)
general
Added 2026.1.18 9:39 · Revised 2026.2.3 23:48
06500/06578_saimu