chīkuī: 吃亏 - To Suffer a Loss, To Be at a Disadvantage [The Contextual Chinese Dictionary]

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====== chīkuī: 吃亏 - To Suffer a Loss, To Be at a Disadvantage ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  *   **Keywords:** chīkuī, 吃亏, suffer a loss in Chinese, to be taken advantage of Chinese, to be at a disadvantage Chinese, losing out Chinese, Chinese culture of fairness, chikuī meaning, chīkuī pronunciation, HSK 4 vocabulary.
  *   **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese term **吃亏 (chīkuī)**, which means to **suffer a loss** or **be at a disadvantage**. This versatile word goes beyond simple financial loss to describe any situation where you are **taken advantage of**, get a raw deal, or **lose out** due to naivety or unfair circumstances. Understanding **chīkuī** is crucial for grasping the **Chinese culture of fairness** and navigating social and business interactions in China, from negotiating a price to managing group projects.
===== Core Meaning =====
  *   **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chīkuī
  *   **Part of Speech:** Verb, Adjective
  *   **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  *   **Concise Definition:** To suffer a loss, be taken advantage of, or find oneself in an unfavorable position.
  *   **In a Nutshell:** `吃亏` is the feeling of getting the "short end of the stick." It's not just about losing money; it's about any transaction or situation—social, financial, or emotional—where you come out worse off than you should have. It implies a sense of unfairness, that you've been outsmarted, treated unjustly, or that someone else has benefited at your expense. It's the direct opposite of `占便宜 (zhàn piányi)`, which means to gain an unfair advantage.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  *   **吃 (chī):** To eat, to consume. This is one of the first characters any beginner learns. It pictorially represents an open mouth.
  *   **亏 (kuī):** A deficit, a loss, to lack. Think of a business being "in the red" or a scale that is unbalanced. It signifies a shortage or deficiency.
By combining them, `吃亏` literally translates to "to eat a loss." This vivid metaphor perfectly captures the feeling of having to unwillingly "swallow" or accept an unfair outcome, absorbing the deficit yourself.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
`吃亏` is a cornerstone concept for understanding everyday Chinese social dynamics, which are often built on a delicate balance of fairness, reciprocity, and "face" (`面子`).
In many Western cultures, particularly American culture, the focus is often on individual achievement and "winning" a negotiation. Getting the best possible deal is a sign of skill. In China, while a good outcome is desired, maintaining harmony and perceived fairness is often just as important. To make someone else `吃亏` can cause them to lose face and damage the long-term relationship (`关系`). Complaining that you have `吃亏` is a powerful social statement that things are not fair (`不公平`).
Interestingly, there is a famous philosophical saying: **`吃亏是福 (chīkuī shì fú)`**, which means "to suffer a loss is a blessing." This doesn't mean people enjoy losing out. Rather, it reflects a traditional value that sometimes, willingly accepting a small, short-term loss can lead to long-term gains, such as a better reputation, stronger relationships, or the avoidance of bigger conflicts. It showcases a patient, long-term perspective that contrasts with a more short-term, individualistic focus on winning every transaction.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`吃亏` is an extremely common word used in almost any informal or semi-formal context.
  *   **Shopping and Business:** It's a key term in any negotiation. If you feel a price is too high, you can say `这个价格我太吃亏了 (Zhège jiàgé wǒ tài chīkuī le)`, meaning "At this price, I'd be at too much of a disadvantage."
  *   **Social Complaints:** You can use it to complain about any unfair situation. For example, if you did most of the work on a group project but got the same grade, you could tell a friend, `这次合作我可吃亏了 (Zhè cì hézuò wǒ kě chīkuī le)` - "I really lost out on this collaboration."
  *   **Giving Advice:** It's often used to warn others. A mother might tell her child who is too trusting: `你这么老实，很容易吃亏的 (Nǐ zhème lǎoshi, hěn róngyì chīkuī de)` - "You're so honest, it's easy for you to be taken advantage of."
===== Example Sentences =====
**Example 1:**
  *   他这个人很精明，你跟他做生意小心别**吃亏**。
  *   Pinyin: Tā zhège rén hěn jīngmíng, nǐ gēn tā zuò shēngyì xiǎoxīn bié **chīkuī**.
  *   English: He's a very shrewd person. Be careful not to suffer a loss when you do business with him.
  *   Analysis: This is a common warning. It shows that `吃亏` is often the result of someone else being clever or shrewd (`精明`) at your expense.
**Example 2:**
  *   为了买这个便宜几块钱的东西，排队一小时，太**吃亏**了。
  *   Pinyin: Wèile mǎi zhège piányi jǐ kuài qián de dōngxi, páiduì yī xiǎoshí, tài **chīkuī** le.
  *   English: To save a few bucks on this item, I waited in line for an hour. It was so not worth it.
  *   Analysis: Here, `吃亏` is used in the sense of a bad trade-off. The "loss" isn't money, but time and effort. The Chinese phrase for "not worth it" is `划不来 (huábulái)`, which is closely related to `吃亏`.
**Example 3:**
  *   我不想让你**吃亏**，我们还是平分吧。
  *   Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng ràng nǐ **chīkuī**, wǒmen háishì píngfēn ba.
  *   English: I don't want you to be at a disadvantage, so let's just split it evenly.
  *   Analysis: This sentence shows a desire for fairness. The speaker is actively trying to prevent a `吃亏` situation, which helps build goodwill and a positive relationship.
**Example 4:**
  *   做人不能太老实，不然总是要**吃亏**的。
  *   Pinyin: Zuòrén bùnéng tài lǎoshi, bùrán zǒngshì yào **chīkuī** de.
  *   English: You can't be too honest in life, otherwise you'll always be the one losing out.
  *   Analysis: This reflects a common piece of cynical but practical advice. `老实 (lǎoshi)` (honest, simple-minded) is often seen as a quality that makes a person vulnerable to `吃亏`.
**Example 5:**
  *   这是一笔**吃亏**的买卖，没人愿意做。
  *   Pinyin: Zhè shì yī bǐ **chīkuī** de mǎimài, méi rén yuànyì zuò.
  *   English: This is a losing deal; nobody is willing to do it.
  *   Analysis: In this sentence, `吃亏` is used as an adjective to describe the noun `买卖 (mǎimài)` (deal/business). It directly labels the transaction as disadvantageous.
**Example 6:**
  *   俗话说，**吃亏是福**。有时候让一步，对自己更好。
  *   Pinyin: Súhuà shuō, **chīkuī shì fú**. Yǒu shíhòu ràng yī bù, duì zìjǐ gèng hǎo.
  *   English: As the saying goes, "to suffer a loss is a blessing." Sometimes taking a step back is better for you.
  *   Analysis: This showcases the famous idiom. It's used to console someone who has `吃亏` or to justify a decision to not fight over a small matter.
**Example 7:**
  *   我感觉自己**吃了**个大**亏**，这台电脑的市场价根本没那么高。
  *   Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué zìjǐ **chīle** ge dà **kuī**, zhè tái diànnǎo de shìchǎngjià gēnběn méi nàme gāo.
  *   English: I feel like I've suffered a huge loss; the market price for this computer isn't nearly that high.
  *   Analysis: The structure `吃了(一)个大/小亏` (chīle (yī)ge dà/xiǎo kuī) is very common. `大亏` means a "big loss," while `小亏` means a "small loss."
**Example 8:**
  *   你不能总让我**吃亏**，这次该你多做一点了。
  *   Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng zǒng ràng wǒ **chīkuī**, zhè cì gāi nǐ duō zuò yīdiǎn le.
  *   English: You can't always make me the one who loses out. This time it's your turn to do a little more.
  *   Analysis: This is a perfect example of using `吃亏` in a social or relational context, like chores or shared responsibilities, to demand fairness.
**Example 9:**
  *   虽然薪水不高，但是能学到很多东西，所以也算不上**吃亏**。
  *   Pinyin: Suīrán xīnshuǐ bù gāo, dànshì néng xuédào hěnduō dōngxi, suǒyǐ yě suàn bu shàng **chīkuī**.
  *   English: Although the salary isn't high, I can learn a lot, so you can't really consider it a loss.
  *   Analysis: This sentence shows the subjective nature of `吃亏`. If you gain something non-monetary (like experience), a situation might not be considered a `吃亏` after all.
**Example 10:**
  *   我凭什么要**吃亏**？这件事必须说清楚。
  *   Pinyin: Wǒ píngshénme yào **chīkuī**? Zhè jiàn shì bìxū shuō qīngchǔ.
  *   English: Why should I be the one to suffer a loss? We have to get this matter straight.
  *   Analysis: The phrase `凭什么 (píngshénme)` ("on what basis?" or "why should I?") is often paired with `吃亏` to express strong indignation about an unfair situation.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  *   **`吃亏` vs. `输 (shū)` (To Lose):** A very common mistake for learners is to confuse these two.
    *   `输 (shū)` is used for competitions, games, or battles. It has a clear winner and loser. (e.g., `我们输了比赛` - We lost the game.)
    *   `吃亏 (chīkuī)` is used for life situations, transactions, and social exchanges where the outcome is unfavorable or unfair. You don't "win" or "lose" a negotiation in the same way you lose a game; you either get a good deal or you `吃亏`.
    *   **Incorrect:** `我在这场谈判中输了。` (Grammatically okay, but sounds unnatural.)
    *   **Correct:** `我在这场谈判中吃亏了。` (I came out at a disadvantage in this negotiation.)
  *   **`吃亏` vs. `倒霉 (dǎoméi)` (Unlucky):**
    *   `倒霉 (dǎoméi)` refers to bad luck or misfortune that happens by chance. It's impersonal. (e.g., `今天真倒霉，出门就下雨。` - So unlucky today, it started raining as soon as I went out.)
    *   `吃亏` usually implies that the unfavorable outcome is due to the structure of the situation or the actions of another person (or your own naivety). There's a stronger sense of unfairness, not just random chance.
  *   **Don't use `吃亏` for simple, factual losses:** If you just lose your keys, you wouldn't say `我吃亏了`. That implies someone benefited from your loss. You would simply say `我把钥匙丢了 (wǒ bǎ yàoshi diū le)`. `吃亏` requires a context of an exchange or social interaction.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  *   **[[占便宜]] (zhàn piányi)** - The direct antonym of `吃亏`. It means to gain an unfair advantage or to benefit at someone else's expense.
  *   **[[上当]] (shàngdàng)** - To be swindled, duped, or to fall for a scam. This is a more specific type of `吃亏` that involves deliberate deception.
  *   **[[损失]] (sǔnshī)** - A loss, damage. This is a more formal, neutral, and often quantifiable term, typically used in business or insurance contexts. `吃亏` is more personal and emotional.
  *   **[[划不来]] (huábulái)** - Not worth it; the cost outweighs the benefit. This describes the calculation one makes to avoid a `吃亏` situation.
  *   **[[吃亏是福]] (chīkuī shì fú)** - The famous idiom meaning "to suffer a loss is a blessing," reflecting a cultural value of prioritizing long-term harmony over short-term gain.
  *   **[[公平]] (gōngpíng)** - Fair, impartial. The core principle that is violated when a person feels they have `吃亏`.
  *   **[[面子]] (miànzi)** - "Face," social prestige, or dignity. A person might refuse to `吃亏` in public to protect their `面子`.
  *   **[[老实]] (lǎoshi)** - Honest, frank, well-behaved. While a positive trait, being `太老实` (too honest/naive) is often seen as a reason why someone might `吃亏`.