Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== kuīběn: 亏本 - To Lose Money (in business), Suffer a Loss ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** kuiben, kuīběn, 亏本, 虧本, what does kuiben mean, lose money in Chinese, Chinese word for business loss, in the red Chinese, unprofitable, suffer a loss, business Chinese, HSK 5 vocabulary * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **kuīběn (亏本)**, the essential Chinese term for losing money in business, making an unprofitable sale, or being "in the red." This page breaks down the characters 亏 (loss) and 本 (capital), explores its cultural context in Chinese commerce, and provides numerous practical examples, from stock market discussions to clearance sale signs. Learn how to use this fundamental HSK 5 word to accurately describe financial losses and avoid common mistakes. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** kuīběn (kuī bĕn) * **Part of Speech:** Verb (specifically, a verb-object compound) * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 * **Concise Definition:** To lose capital; to suffer a financial loss in a business or transaction. * **In a Nutshell:** **Kuīběn** is the go-to term for when a business activity ends up costing more than it earns. It literally translates to "lose the principal/capital." If you buy something for $10 and sell it for $8, you have **亏本**-ed. It's the direct opposite of making a profit and is a fundamental concept in any conversation about business, investment, or sales. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **亏 (kuī):** This character's primary meaning is "to lose," "to lack," or "a deficit." Think of it as having a part of something taken away, resulting in a loss. * **本 (běn):** This character originally depicted a tree (木) with its roots marked at the bottom, so it means "root," "origin," or "foundation." In a financial context, it extends to mean the "principal" or "initial capital"—the foundational money you start with. When combined, **亏本 (kuīběn)** is incredibly logical and transparent: **亏 (to lose) + 本 (the capital)**. It means you've lost the money you started with; your venture was unprofitable. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In Chinese culture, business and finance are often discussed in very direct and pragmatic terms. **Kuīběn** is a perfect example of this. It's a straightforward, factual statement of loss without the softer euphemisms often found in Western corporate jargon like "negative growth" or "revenue shortfall." While admitting to a **kuīběn** situation might cause someone to "lose face" ([[面子]], miànzi), the term itself is neutral and descriptive. It's a common word used by everyone from street vendors to corporate executives. A classic cultural application is the "亏本大甩卖!" (kuīběn dà shuǎimài!) or "Losing-Money Big Clearance Sale!" signs you see everywhere in China. While it's often a marketing tactic, it plays on the idea that the seller is so desperate to clear inventory that they are willing to suffer a personal financial loss. This is meant to signal to the buyer that they are getting an unbeatable rock-bottom price. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **Kuīběn** is a versatile term used in various modern contexts: * **Business & Commerce:** It's used formally in meetings and reports to describe an unprofitable project, quarter, or business unit. * //"我们第三季度的这个项目亏本了。" (Our project from the third quarter lost money.)// * **Retail & Sales:** As mentioned above, it's a very common marketing term for clearance sales. Shopkeepers will often shout it to attract customers. * //"最后三天，亏本处理！" (Last three days, selling at a loss!)// * **Personal Finance & Investment:** People use it frequently to talk about personal investments, especially in the stock market. * //"我去年买的基金现在亏本了。" (The mutual fund I bought last year is now in the red.)// * **Figurative Usage:** While less common, it can be used figuratively to describe a deal or exchange where one feels they've lost out significantly, even if not directly financial. For example, spending a lot of time on a project that fails could be described as a "亏本买卖" (a losing deal). The term is generally neutral and factual, though the situation it describes is, of course, negative. It's appropriate for both formal and informal settings. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 今年经济不景气，很多公司都在**亏本**经营。 * Pinyin: Jīnnián jīngjì bù jǐngqì, hěnduō gōngsī dōu zài **kuīběn** jīngyíng. * English: The economy is in a slump this year, and many companies are operating at a loss. * Analysis: This sentence uses **亏本** with "经营" (jīngyíng - to operate/run a business) to describe the overall state of a company. * **Example 2:** * 为了吸引顾客，这家新开的餐厅头一个月是**亏本**卖的。 * Pinyin: Wèile xīyǐn gùkè, zhè jiā xīn kāi de cāntīng tóu yī ge yuè shì **kuīběn** mài de. * English: In order to attract customers, this new restaurant sold its food at a loss for the first month. * Analysis: This shows a strategic use of **亏本** as a short-term business strategy (a loss leader). * **Example 3:** * 这笔生意要是**亏本**了，我们就麻烦大了。 * Pinyin: Zhè bǐ shēngyì yàoshi **kuīběn** le, wǒmen jiù máfan dà le. * English: If this deal loses money, we'll be in big trouble. * Analysis: A common conditional sentence structure ("要是...就...") highlighting the negative consequences of **亏本**. * **Example 4:** * 商店门口挂着“**亏本**大甩卖”的牌子。 * Pinyin: Shāngdiàn ménkǒu guàzhe “**kuīběn** dà shuǎimài” de páizi. * English: The shop's entrance has a sign hanging that says, "Clearance Sale at a Loss." * Analysis: This is the classic marketing usage seen all over China. * **Example 5:** * 我劝你不要投资这个，感觉一定会**亏本**。 * Pinyin: Wǒ quàn nǐ búyào tóuzī zhège, gǎnjué yīdìng huì **kuīběn**. * English: I advise you not to invest in this; I feel it will definitely lose money. * Analysis: Here, **亏本** is used to predict a future financial outcome. * **Example 6:** * 他花了那么多钱和时间，最后项目失败了，真是一桩**亏本**买卖。 * Pinyin: Tā huāle nàme duō qián hé shíjiān, zuìhòu xiàngmù shībài le, zhēnshi yī zhuāng **kuīběn** mǎimài. * English: He spent so much money and time, but the project failed in the end. It was truly a losing deal. * Analysis: This uses the set phrase **亏本买卖 (kuīběn mǎimài)**, meaning a "losing deal" or "unprofitable venture," which can refer to more than just money (like time and effort). * **Example 7:** * 不管你卖多少钱，只要低于成本价就是**亏本**。 * Pinyin: Bùguǎn nǐ mài duōshǎo qián, zhǐyào dīyú chéngběn jià jiùshì **kuīběn**. * English: No matter how much you sell it for, as long as it's below the cost price, it's a loss. * Analysis: This sentence clearly defines the concept of **亏本** in relation to "成本价" (chéngběn jià - cost price). * **Example 8:** * 这件衣服我买的时候五百块，现在两百块卖给你，我已经**亏本**了。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu wǒ mǎi de shíhou wǔbǎi kuài, xiànzài liǎngbǎi kuài mài gěi nǐ, wǒ yǐjīng **kuīběn** le. * English: I bought this piece of clothing for 500 RMB, and now I'm selling it to you for 200. I'm already losing money. * Analysis: A very common conversational example used during bargaining. * **Example 9:** * 宁可**亏本**，我也要保持我们产品的质量。 * Pinyin: Nìngkě **kuīběn**, wǒ yě yào bǎochí wǒmen chǎnpǐn de zhìliàng. * English: I would rather lose money than compromise the quality of our products. * Analysis: This sentence shows **亏本** being used to express a principle or priority, using the "宁可...也..." (nìngkě...yě... - would rather...than...) structure. * **Example 10:** * 他做生意太老实，总是**亏本**。 * Pinyin: Tā zuò shēngyì tài lǎoshi, zǒngshì **kuīběn**. * English: He is too honest in business and is always losing money. * Analysis: This links a personal characteristic ("老实" - lǎoshi, honest/naive) to the business outcome of **亏本**. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Kuīběn (亏本) vs. Péiqián (赔钱):** These two terms are very close synonyms and often interchangeable. Both mean "to lose money." * **Kuīběn (亏本)** literally means "to lose the capital (本)." It emphasizes that the revenue did not cover the initial costs. It is highly focused on business operations. * **Péiqián (赔钱)** literally means "to compensate money." It can also mean to lose money in business, but it carries a slightly broader sense of paying money *out*, sometimes to cover a debt or compensate for a mistake. For example, if you break a window, you have to **赔钱**. If your business is unprofitable, you could say it's **亏本** or **赔钱**. For most business contexts, they are effectively the same. * **Kuīběn (亏本) vs. Kuī (亏):** * **Kuīběn** specifically refers to a financial loss where costs exceed revenue. * **Kuī** on its own is a more general term for "to lose out" or "to get the short end of the stick." You can use it in non-financial situations. * //Correct: "这笔生意亏本了。" (This business deal lost money.)// * //Correct: "为了等你，我错过了火车，真是亏大了！" (I missed my train waiting for you, what a huge loss!) - Here, **亏本** would be incorrect as no capital was lost.// ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **Antonyms:** * [[赚钱]] (zhuànqián) - The most common and direct antonym: "to make money," "to earn a profit." * [[盈利]] (yínglì) - A more formal antonym: "to make a profit," "profit; gain." * **Synonyms & Similar Terms:** * [[赔钱]] (péiqián) - A very close synonym, also meaning "to lose money." * [[亏损]] (kuīsǔn) - A more formal, technical term for "loss" or "deficit," often used in financial statements. * [[赤字]] (chìzì) - "Deficit" (literally "red characters/words"), an accounting term for being in the red. * **Related Concepts:** * [[成本]] (chéngběn) - "Cost." A business **亏本**s when its revenue is less than its **成本**. * [[利润]] (lìrùn) - "Profit." The goal of business is to have **利润**, not to **亏本**. * [[投资]] (tóuzī) - "Investment." An activity that carries the risk of **亏本**. * [[甩卖]] (shuǎimài) - "Clearance sale." Often advertised using the term **亏本**. * [[买卖]] (mǎimài) - "Business," "deal," "trade." Often seen in the phrase "亏本买卖" (a losing deal).