英文名称：Credit Rating 中文名称：信用评级又称“资信评级”，指由独立的第三方利用其自身的专业优势对受评的经济主体（个人和企业）或金融工具（股票、债券等有价证券）的信用风险进行测定。主要根据受评对象按期履行其债务或其他相关义务的能力进行评定，目标在于揭示受评对象违约风险的大小。信用评级一般包括个人信用评级、企业信用评级、证券信用评级、国家主权信用评级等。e.g. The draft of the credit rating system in gold sector is seeking opinions and will be hammered out in July this year.
An assessment of the credit worthiness of individuals and corporations. It is based upon the history of borrowing and repayment, as well as the availability of assets and extent of liabilities. 
Credit is important since individuals and corporations with poor credit will have difficulty finding financing, and will most likely have to pay more due to the risk of default.