吃亏
Traditional: 吃虧
chī kuī HSK 5

English Meaning

Categories

📚 Example Sentences

他做生意吃亏了。
Tā zuò shēngyì chīkuī le.
He suffered losses in business.
别担心,你不会吃亏的。
Bié dānxīn, nǐ bù huì chīkuī de.
Don't worry, you won't come to grief.
这次比赛我们吃亏了。
Zhè cì bǐsài wǒmen chīkuī le.
We suffered losses in this competition.
他吃亏了。
Tā chīkuī le.
He suffered a loss.
别吃亏。
Bié chīkuī.
Don't get shortchanged.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: 吃 (chī) means 'to eat,' and 亏 (kuī) means 'loss.' Imagine literally 'eating a loss'—you're swallowing something unpleasant, which helps recall the idea of enduring a disadvantage.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese. It frequently appears in contexts like business negotiations, personal relationships, or everyday situations where fairness or loss is discussed, such as warning someone about a risky deal.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used as a predicate verb (e.g., 你会吃亏). Can be modified by adverbs like 很, 太, 经常 (e.g., 经常吃亏). Also appears in the structure 吃...的亏 (e.g., 吃经验的亏, to suffer due to lack of experience).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, there's a common saying 吃亏是福 (chīkuī shì fú), meaning 'suffering a loss can be a blessing,' reflecting a philosophical attitude that enduring small losses may lead to long-term benefits or harmony. This highlights a value placed on humility and strategic patience.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 受害 (shòuhài, to be victimized), which is more serious and often involves crime or disaster, 吃亏 is broader and milder, covering everyday losses. Unlike 损失 (sǔnshī, to lose assets/value), 吃亏 focuses more on the experience of disadvantage than the material loss itself.

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