Chinese word

亏本

Pronunciation

Pinyinkuī běn

Meaning

  • verblose money

Example

这次生意我们亏本了。zhè cì shēng yì wǒ men kuī běn le

We lost money on this deal.

Illustration for 亏本 (lose money)

More examples

那家商店为了吸引顾客，常常亏本打折出售热门商品。nà jiā shāng diàn wèi le xī yǐn gù kè cháng cháng kuī běn dǎ zhé chū shòu rè mén shāng pǐn

To attract customers, that store often sells popular products at a loss with discounts.

Core concept

A transaction returns less than the funds committed, leaving a shortfall where a gain should be.

Common phrases

  • 亏本清仓kuī běn qīng cāng

    clear out inventory at a loss

  • 亏本打折kuī běn dǎ zhé

    discount goods at a loss

Similar words

赔钱péi qián: To lose money through an activity, deal, or investment.
赔本péi běn: To lose the original money put into goods or a business when sales do not cover the investment.
亏损kuī sǔn: To show a financial loss when income is lower than expenses, especially in accounts or reports.
损失sǔn shī: To suffer a loss in money, property, or value.

Definition in Chinese

做生意或买卖时，收入少于成本，导致本金或利润减少，出现损失。zuò shēng yì huò mǎi mài shí shōu rù shǎo yú chéng běn dǎo zhì běn jīn huò lì rùn jián shǎo chū xiàn sǔn shī

Word origin

亏本 (kuīběn, "lose capital") is formed from 亏 (kuī, "fall short") plus 本 (běn, "principal or capital"), so its structure connects loss with the original investment.

Usage tips

  • The subject and context show the scale of the loss: the same verb can describe one unsuccessful transaction or the finances of an entire business.

Other meanings

  • run at a lossverb
  • be in the redverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word