Accounting



What is the meaning of debit?

Debit means left or left side. For example, every accounting entry will have a debit and credit amount. The debit amount is usually listed first and will be entered on the left side of the general ledger account indicated. (The credit amount will be entered on the right side of another account.) The general ledger accounts will have both a debit and credit side, or left and right side. The balance in a general ledger account will be either a debit balance or a credit balance.

Asset accounts, expense accounts, and the owner’s drawing account are expected to have debit balances. These debit balances will be increased when additional debit amounts are entered.

To illustrate the above, let’s assume that a company has cash of $500. The company’s general ledger asset account Cash should indicate a debit balance of $500. If the company receives an additional $200, a debit entry will be made and will result in the Cash account having a debit balance of $700.

Sometimes the word charge is used in place of debit. For example, if a company does advertising of $900, the accountant will charge Advertising Expense for $900.

The accepted abbreviation for debit is dr.

Learn more about Debits and Credits.

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About the Author: Harold Averkamp (CPA) has worked as an accountant, consultant, and university accounting instructor for more than 25 years.

He is the author of the 2010 Master Accounting Download Package which has been praised for it's ability to simplify accounting in a way that anybody can understand.




Comments

18 Responses to “What is the meaning of debit?”

  1. Qasim on February 19th, 2010 2:27 am

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  2. Lakshmi on February 20th, 2010 5:45 am

    Its a very understoodable defination or meaning of debit verrryyy niceeeee

  3. rajesh r p on February 25th, 2010 10:11 am

    good nice

  4. santram gulia on February 26th, 2010 12:22 pm

    great

  5. sasikala on March 4th, 2010 5:51 am

    what is the meaning of debit and credit . debit means whcih shown as a expense and credit whcih amount comes in it is correct or not. please tell me

  6. L H Webster. I.S.M. on March 6th, 2010 7:05 am

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  7. arbab samiullah kasi on March 7th, 2010 3:29 pm

    nice correct defination

  8. Mohan on March 7th, 2010 8:18 pm

    Very usefull

  9. Ajeet on March 8th, 2010 9:27 am

    Thank you very much

  10. prasanth on March 13th, 2010 3:40 am

    Debit means all expenses and losses are we have to take debit side and credit means all incomes and gains we have to credit side.

  11. Pramod Goswami on April 13th, 2010 7:41 am

    Hi Sir,
    Thnxxxxxx

  12. fredrick on April 30th, 2010 3:58 am

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  13. Rahul on May 6th, 2010 3:54 am

    actual meaning of misc. expense (Assets) in Tally.
    why it is Asset

  14. ford on May 24th, 2010 9:31 am

    What a perfect definition of debit.I like it.God bless

  15. pam on June 4th, 2010 7:22 am

    To illustrate the above, let’s assume that a company has cash of $500. The company’s general ledger asset account Cash should indicate a debit balance of $500. If the company receives an additional $200, a debit entry will be made and will result in the Cash account having a debit balance of $700.

    In the above which golden rules is used. As i understand debit all the expeses & credit gains. This is just the oposite in case of above example.

  16. pam on June 4th, 2010 7:24 am

    the cash is being debited which as per golden rule should be credited

  17. Alli228 on July 13th, 2010 11:29 am

    I dont think the question of “What is the meaning of debit?” was answered. Its illustrated how to see a debit but what is it exactly. If i can remove cash from a bank account why is that a credit to the account and not a debit yet to apply that cash to an expense why is the expense debited and not credited. i think he needs to answer the question of “What is the meaning of debit?”

  18. kennedy on July 16th, 2010 9:10 am

    The explanations are quite comprehensive. Good work.

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