赔钱

• Pinyin: péi qián
• Hanzi breakdown: 赔 = 贝 + 咅 (shell/money + compensate); 钱 = 钅 + 戋 (metal + small — small pieces of metal, money)

Meaning

Lose money; to suffer a financial loss; to make a payment as compensation for damage or loss.

Used both for business losses and for paying compensation. Can describe an investment that went wrong, a business operating at a loss, or compensating someone for damages. The colloquial sense of losing money on a deal is very common.

Examples

1. 这家餐厅连续亏损，老板不得不接受赔钱的现实。 This restaurant has been losing money continuously, and the owner had to accept that reality.
2. 他因违约被迫赔钱给合作方，损失惨重。 He was forced to compensate his partner for breach of contract and suffered heavy losses.
3. 创业初期赔钱是常有的事，关键在于能否坚持下去。 In the early stages of a startup, losing money is common—the key is whether you can stick with it.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, daily life, compensation

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这批货物在运输中严重受损，物流公司须按合同规定赔钱给客户。(The goods were severely damaged in transit, and the logistics company must compensate the client according to the terms of the contract.)
• 他在股市中连续操作失误，三个月内赔钱超过百万元。(He made a series of poor decisions in the stock market and lost more than one million yuan over three months.)

Don't Say

• 他赔钱了一个道歉 — use 道歉 alone or 赔礼道歉 for apologising; 赔钱 specifically involves financial compensation, not verbal apology

Origin & History

赔 (compensate, suffer loss) + 钱 (money) — to lose or pay out money

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal