吃亏

• Pinyin: chī kuī
• Hanzi breakdown: 吃 = to eat/experience; 亏 = deficit/loss

Meaning

To suffer a loss; to be at a disadvantage; to get the short end of the stick.

Literally 'to eat loss.' Used when someone ends up worse off in a deal, situation, or comparison. Can refer to financial loss, unfair treatment, or competitive disadvantage.

Examples

1. 买东西不比价格，容易吃亏。 If you don't compare prices when shopping, you're likely to get ripped off.
2. 老实人有时候容易吃亏。 Honest people sometimes get the short end of the stick.
3. 吃亏是福，有时候退一步海阔天空。 Suffering a loss can be a blessing; sometimes stepping back opens up a wider world.

Usage Guide

Context: deals, life advice, comparison

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 不懂行情容易吃亏。(Not knowing the market easily leads to losses.)
• 这次生意我吃了大亏。(I took a big loss on this business deal.)

Don't Say

• 我喜欢吃亏 (No one genuinely enjoys suffering losses — though 吃亏是福 is a philosophical saying)

Origin & History

Verb-object phrase: 吃 (eat/experience) + 亏 (loss/deficit). A common colloquial expression for experiencing disadvantage.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal