A trade deficit occurs when a nation's total import value exceeds its export value over a period of time.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Imports exceed exports in a specific period.
- Also known as 'trade gap' or 'unfavorable balance'.
- Indicates a country spends more than it earns abroad.
Overview
- 1概述：贸易逆差（Trade Deficit）是宏观经济学中的一个核心术语，用于描述国际收支平衡表中的经常项目状况。当一个国家的国民对外国商品和服务的需求超过了外国对该国商品和服务的需求时，就会产生贸易逆差。这意味着该国正在消耗其外汇储备或通过借贷来支付额外的进口支出。
- 1用法模式：在中文表达中，“贸易逆差”通常作为名词使用，常与动词如“出现”、“扩大”、“收窄”、“扭转”等搭配。例如，“某国去年出现了巨额贸易逆差”，或者“政府正采取措施以缩小贸易逆差”。它也可以作为定语，如“贸易逆差国家”。
- 1常见语境：该词频繁出现在财经新闻、政府年度经济工作报告、国际贸易谈判以及学术论文中。它是评估一个国家国际竞争力、国内消费能力以及货币汇率走势的重要指标。在政治讨论中，贸易逆差有时被用来作为实施关税或贸易保护主义政策的理由。
- 1词义辨析：最直接的对比是“贸易顺差”（Trade Surplus），即出口大于进口。另一个容易混淆的概念是“财政赤字”（Fiscal Deficit），后者是指政府的支出超过了其税收收入，属于国内财政范畴，而贸易逆差属于国际贸易范畴。此外，它与“国际收支逆差”不同，后者包含了资本流动等更广泛的财务项目。
Examples
专家预测，由于能源价格上涨，下个月的贸易逆差可能会继续增加。
everydayExperts predict that the trade deficit may continue to increase next month due to rising energy prices.
报告显示，该国在过去十年中一直处于贸易逆差状态。
formalThe report shows that the country has been in a state of trade deficit for the past decade.
咱们买人家的东西比卖给人家的高，这贸易逆差可不小啊。
informalWe buy more from them than we sell to them; this trade deficit is quite large.
长期持续的贸易逆差可能反映了该国制造业竞争力的结构性衰退。
academicA persistent long-term trade deficit may reflect a structural decline in the country's manufacturing competitiveness.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
巨额贸易逆差
huge trade deficit
双边贸易逆差
bilateral trade deficit
结构性贸易逆差
structural trade deficit
Often Confused With
The opposite of a deficit, where exports exceed imports (Trade Surplus).
Refers to a government's internal budget shortfall, not international trade balance.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The term is primarily used in formal economic, political, and financial contexts. While '入超' is technically synonymous, '贸易逆差' is much more common in modern Mandarin. It is usually treated as a neutral economic indicator, but in political discourse, it may carry a negative connotation implying economic weakness.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing it with 'budget deficit' (财政赤字). Another error is assuming a trade deficit always means a country is poor; wealthy nations like the US often have large deficits. It should also not be used to describe a single company's financial loss.
Tips
Understanding the Currency Relationship
A persistent trade deficit often puts downward pressure on a country's currency because more of it is being sold to buy foreign goods.
Don't Confuse with Budget Deficit
A trade deficit is about international trade (imports/exports), while a budget deficit is about government spending versus tax revenue.
Geopolitical Significance
Large trade deficits, such as those between the US and its trading partners, are often central themes in global political debates and trade wars.
Word Origin
'贸易' (mào yì) means trade. '逆' (nì) means contrary or against the flow. '差' (chā) means difference or gap. It was adopted as a translation for the Western economic concept of trade deficit.
Cultural Context
In China, the trade balance is a sensitive topic, especially regarding relations with the US and EU. Discussions often focus on moving from a manufacturing-based surplus to a more balanced trade through high-tech exports.
Memory Tip
Think of '逆' (nì) as 'against' or 'reverse' and '差' (chā) as 'difference'. It's a 'reverse difference' where money flows out instead of in.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions不一定。它可能反映了国内消费需求旺盛或经济增长迅速，但也可能导致本币贬值压力或债务增加。
国内货币升值、国内需求激增、生产成本上升导致出口竞争力下降，或能源等大宗商品进口价格上涨。
是的，“入超”是贸易逆差的传统称呼，两者在经济学定义上完全相同。
通常通过促进出口、限制进口（如加征关税）、货币贬值或提高国内产业竞争力来解决。
Test Yourself
由于该国对外国高科技产品的依赖度极高，去年其___进一步扩大了。
进口（依赖外国产品）大于出口会导致贸易逆差扩大。
下列哪种情况会导致贸易逆差？
贸易逆差的定义即为进口总值超过出口总值。
贸易逆差 / 导致 / 持续的 / 贬值 / 货币 / 该国
这是最符合经济逻辑和中文语法结构的表述。
Score: /3
Summary
A trade deficit occurs when a nation's total import value exceeds its export value over a period of time.
- Imports exceed exports in a specific period.
- Also known as 'trade gap' or 'unfavorable balance'.
- Indicates a country spends more than it earns abroad.
Understanding the Currency Relationship
A persistent trade deficit often puts downward pressure on a country's currency because more of it is being sold to buy foreign goods.
Don't Confuse with Budget Deficit
A trade deficit is about international trade (imports/exports), while a budget deficit is about government spending versus tax revenue.
Geopolitical Significance
Large trade deficits, such as those between the US and its trading partners, are often central themes in global political debates and trade wars.
Examples
4 of 4专家预测，由于能源价格上涨，下个月的贸易逆差可能会继续增加。
Experts predict that the trade deficit may continue to increase next month due to rising energy prices.
报告显示，该国在过去十年中一直处于贸易逆差状态。
The report shows that the country has been in a state of trade deficit for the past decade.
咱们买人家的东西比卖给人家的高，这贸易逆差可不小啊。
We buy more from them than we sell to them; this trade deficit is quite large.
长期持续的贸易逆差可能反映了该国制造业竞争力的结构性衰退。
A persistent long-term trade deficit may reflect a structural decline in the country's manufacturing competitiveness.
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