赤字

• Reading: あかじ
• Romaji: akaji
• Kanji breakdown: 赤 (aka) — red; 字 (ji) — character, figure, number
• Pronunciation: /a.ka.dʑi/

Meaning

Deficit; being in the red. Describes a financial loss where expenses exceed income.

A compound noun from 赤 (red) + 字 (character/figure). Just as in English, red ink signifies financial loss. Used in business reports, household budgets, and casual conversation about overspending. The opposite is 黒字 (surplus/in the black).

Examples

1. 今月は出費が多くて、家計が赤字になってしまった。 We had a lot of expenses this month, so the household budget ended up in the red.
2. その会社は3年連続で赤字が続いている。 That company has been running at a deficit for three years in a row.
3. 赤字を解消するために、コスト削減に取り組んでいる。 We're working on cutting costs to eliminate the deficit.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 赤 (aka, red) + 字 (ji, character/figure). Derives from the accounting practice of writing losses in red ink, a convention shared across many cultures.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal