Definition
人情债 refers to a social or moral obligation you owe someone who has done you a favor — not a financial debt, but a debt of kindness that creates an expectation of future reciprocity. In Chinese culture, this concept is tied to the give-and-take of relationships (关系) and 'face' (面子); failing to repay can damage trust and social standing. You hear it in phrases like 欠人情债 'owe a favor debt' and 还人情债 'repay a favor debt'.
n.
a social or moral debt of gratitudea favor that must be reciprocated
Examples
- ，。Shàngcì tā bāng le wǒ yí gè dà máng, wǒ xiànzài hái qiàn zhe tā rén qíng zhài ne.Last time he helped me out a lot, and I still owe him a favor debt.
- 人情债，。Wèile háiqīng rén qíng zhài, wǒ tèyì huā shíjiān bāng tā de háizi bǔxí gōngkè.To repay that favor debt, I specially took time to tutor his child.
- ，人情债。Zài Zhōngguó shèhuì, rén qíng zhài shì zuì nán suàn qīng de zhàng.In Chinese society, favor debts are the hardest accounts to settle.
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