| 次级贷款 | cì jí dài kuǎn | subprime lending / abbr. to 次贷 | 
| 次 | cì | next in sequence / second / the second (day, time etc) / secondary / vice- / sub- / infra- / inferior quality / substandard / order / sequence / hypo- (chemistry) / classifier for enumerated events: time | 
| 次级 | cì jí | secondary | 
| 级 | jí | level / grade / rank / step (of stairs) / CL:个 / classifier: step, level | 
| 贷 | dài | to lend on interest / to borrow / a loan / leniency / to make excuses / to pardon / to forgive | 
| 贷款 | dài kuǎn | a loan / CL:笔 / to provide a loan (e.g. bank) / to raise a loan (from e.g. a bank) | 
| 款 | kuǎn | section / paragraph / funds / CL:笔,个 / classifier for versions or models (of a product) |