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A2 verb #3,500 most common 13 min read

赔钱

peiqian Top 3,500

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 赔钱 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 赔钱 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know that '赔钱' (péiqián) means to lose money. It is the opposite of '赚钱' (zhuànqián), which means to make money. You might hear it in very simple contexts like shopping or basic business. For example, '这个不赔钱' (This doesn't lose money). It is important to remember that '赔' and '钱' are both second tones. At this stage, just focus on the basic meaning of financial loss in a transaction. You don't need to worry about complex grammar yet, just recognize the word when you hear it in a market or a simple story about a shopkeeper. Think of it as 'pay-money' but in a negative way for the person paying. It's a very useful word because everyone cares about money! If you see a price that is very low, the seller might say '我赔钱卖' (I am selling at a loss) to get your attention. Even at A1, knowing this word helps you understand basic economic interactions in Chinese culture. Remember, 'money' is '钱' (qián), and '赔' (péi) is the action of losing it in a deal. Don't confuse it with '丢钱' (diūqián), which is when you physically lose your cash on the street.

At the A2 level, you should start using '赔钱' in simple sentences and understand its structure as a Verb-Object (VO) phrase. This means you can say '赔钱了' (lost money) or '赔了很多钱' (lost a lot of money). You should be able to use it to describe a business that is not doing well, like '他的饭店一直在赔钱' (His restaurant is constantly losing money). You will also encounter it in the context of simple investments or when someone breaks something and has to pay for it. For example, '你打破了杯子，要赔钱' (You broke the cup, you have to pay/compensate). At this level, you are expected to distinguish between '赔钱' (business loss/paying for damage) and '丢钱' (misplacing money). You should also be able to use basic adverbs like '太' (tài - too), '很' (hěn - very), and '一直' (yīzhí - always) with it. For instance, '赔了太多钱' (lost too much money). Understanding this word helps you navigate daily life in China, where bargaining and discussing the value of things are very common. It's a key part of 'survival' Chinese for anyone interested in commerce or just living in a Chinese-speaking city.

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using '赔钱' in more complex sentence structures and understand its nuances in different social contexts. You can use it with resultative complements like '赔光' (péiguāng - to lose everything) or '赔本' (péiběn - to lose the principal). You should also be able to discuss risks using '赔钱'. For example, '虽然这个项目看起来不错，但也有赔钱的风险' (Although this project looks good, there is also a risk of losing money). You will start to see the word in news articles or social media posts about the economy. At this level, you should also learn related formal terms like '亏损' (kuīsǔn) and understand that '赔钱' is the more colloquial version. You might use it to express regret or give advice: '我真后悔投资那个公司，赔了不少钱' (I really regret investing in that company; I lost quite a bit of money). You can also use it to describe a 'bad deal' metaphorically. The B1 learner should also be aware of the cultural implications—how '赔钱' affects one's 'face' and how people might use euphemisms like '交学费' (paying tuition) to talk about their losses more positively. This level requires a deeper grasp of how the word functions within the broader Chinese economic vocabulary.

At the B2 level, you are expected to use '赔钱' and its formal counterparts like '亏损' or '赤字' (chìzì - deficit) accurately in professional and academic contexts. You should be able to analyze business cases and explain why a company is '赔钱'. For example, '由于管理不善和市场竞争激烈，该公司连续三年赔钱' (Due to poor management and fierce market competition, the company has lost money for three consecutive years). You should also understand and use common idioms or four-character phrases related to financial loss, such as '稳赚不赔' (sure profit, no loss). Your ability to split the VO compound should be perfect, inserting complex modifiers: '赔了不下一百万块钱' (lost no less than a million yuan). You should also understand the legal nuance where '赔钱' is an informal way of saying '赔偿损失' (compensating for losses). At B2, you should be able to participate in a debate about investment strategies, using '赔钱' to discuss potential downsides and risk-reward ratios. You will also recognize the word in more abstract settings, such as '赔钱的买卖' being used to describe any situation where the effort outweighs the benefit. This level marks the transition from simple usage to professional and nuanced application.

At the C1 level, you should have a sophisticated understanding of '赔钱' within the context of Chinese economic history and modern financial markets. You can use it fluently in high-level discussions about macroeconomics, stock market volatility, and corporate liability. You should be familiar with literary or historical references to losing money and be able to use advanced synonyms like '折本' (shéběn) or '亏绌' (kuīchù) appropriately. You will understand the subtle social dynamics when someone '赔钱'—how it's discussed in social circles and its impact on credit and reputation (信誉 xìnyù). You should be able to interpret complex financial reports where '赔钱' is implied through various accounting metrics. Furthermore, you should be able to use the word in sophisticated metaphors. For example, discussing how a certain policy might be a '赔钱' move for a government in terms of political capital. You should also be aware of the regional variations in how '赔钱' and its synonyms are used across the Sinosphere (Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore). At C1, your usage should be indistinguishable from a native speaker, including the correct use of tone, emphasis, and context-dependent synonyms.

At the C2 level, you possess a near-native command of '赔钱' and all its associated financial, legal, and cultural connotations. You can use the term in any setting, from a casual chat at a street stall to a formal legal proceeding or a high-level academic lecture on economics. You understand the deepest etymological roots of the character '赔' and can discuss its evolution in the Chinese language. You are adept at using the word in complex rhetorical structures, irony, and sarcasm. For example, you might use '赔钱' to critique a large-scale infrastructure project with sophisticated economic arguments. You can seamlessly switch between '赔钱', '亏损', '负债' (fùzhài - debt), and '资不抵债' (zī bù dǐ zhài - insolvency) to describe different stages and types of financial failure. You also have a mastery of classical Chinese phrases that involve the concept of loss. Your understanding of '赔钱' is not just linguistic but also deeply cultural, encompassing the psychological and social ramifications of financial loss in Chinese society. You can write professional-grade financial analyses or literary pieces where '赔钱' is a central theme, using it with precision, elegance, and a deep sense of the language's history and modern pulse.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

赔钱 in 30 Seconds

Péiqián means losing money in business or investments. It is a very common term used in daily life and financial contexts throughout the Chinese-speaking world.
It is a Verb-Object (VO) compound, meaning it can be split to include modifiers like 'lost a lot of money' (赔了很多钱).
Do not confuse it with 'diūqián' (losing a wallet). Péiqián is for transactional deficits or paying for damages, while diūqián is for misplacing physical money.
Culturally, it carries weight regarding 'face' and is the direct antonym of 'zhuànqián' (making money), forming the core of economic discussion.

The Chinese term 赔钱 (péiqián) is a foundational concept in Chinese business and daily financial interactions. At its core, it means 'to lose money,' but it specifically refers to a deficit resulting from an investment, a business venture, or a transaction where the expenses or initial costs exceed the revenue. Unlike the English verb 'to lose,' which can mean misplacing an object, péiqián is strictly financial and transactional. If you misplace your wallet, you do not use péiqián; you use diūqián (丢钱). Understanding this distinction is the first step toward mastery. In the context of the Chinese 'Face' (面子 miànzi) culture, admitting to péiqián can be a sensitive matter, often discussed with a mix of frustration, pragmatism, or even a cautionary tone when advising others against risky ventures.

Etymological Root: The character 赔 (péi) contains the 'shell' radical (贝), which historically represented currency in ancient China. This immediately signals its relationship to financial value and compensation. The right side 咅 (pǒu) provides the phonetic component. Combined with 钱 (qián), meaning money, the word literally describes the act of 'compensating' or 'paying out' money that was expected to stay or grow.

去年我的小书店一直在赔钱，所以我决定把它关了。 (Last year my small bookstore was constantly losing money, so I decided to close it.)

In modern usage, you will hear this word in stock market discussions, real estate negotiations, and even at local wet markets. If a vendor says, 'I am selling this to you at a loss' (我这是赔钱卖给你), they are using péiqián to emphasize the great deal you are getting, though in many cases, this is a common bargaining tactic. It is also used in a broader sense to describe any activity that is not 'worth it' in terms of resources spent versus value gained. For example, if a project consumes too much time and energy for very little reward, one might metaphorically call it a péiqián situation.

Business Context: In formal corporate settings, while 赔钱 is understood, professionals might use '亏损' (kuīsǔn) for official financial reports. However, in meetings and casual business talk, 赔钱 remains the dominant term for discussing net losses.

如果你现在卖掉股票，你会赔钱。 (If you sell your stocks now, you will lose money.)

Culturally, the fear of péiqián is a strong motivator in Chinese society, leading to a generally cautious approach to investment among the older generation. Conversely, the younger generation uses the term frequently when discussing the volatility of new markets like cryptocurrency or high-tech startups. Understanding this word gives you a window into the economic anxieties and aspirations of Mandarin speakers across different age groups.

Social Nuance: Sometimes, parents might jokingly call a child who spends too much a '赔钱货' (péiqiánhuò), meaning 'a loss-making commodity.' While this was historically a very harsh and sexist term used against daughters, in modern urban contexts, it is sometimes used ironically or playfully between friends, though it still carries a significant weight and should be used with extreme caution.

做这种生意，不赔钱就不错了。 (Doing this kind of business, it's already good enough if you don't lose money.)

Using 赔钱 (péiqián) correctly requires an understanding of its grammatical structure as a separable verb-object (VO) phrase. This structure allows for various modifiers to be inserted between '赔' (the verb) and '钱' (the object). This flexibility is key to expressing the scale and nature of the financial loss. For instance, you don't say '赔钱很多'; instead, you say '赔了很多钱'. This allows the speaker to quantify the loss precisely.

Quantifying the Loss: To describe the amount of money lost, place the quantity between the two characters. Examples include: 赔了十万块 (lost 100,000 yuan), 赔了一点钱 (lost a little money), or 赔得精光 (lost everything/lost to the last penny).

他在股市里赔了五百万。 (He lost five million in the stock market.)

Another important usage is the conditional or hypothetical structure. Because péiqián implies a negative outcome, it is frequently paired with words like '怕' (pà - to fear), '担心' (dānxīn - to worry), or '如果' (rúguǒ - if). This is common in investment advice or business planning where risk assessment is discussed. Speakers often use the phrase '稳赚不赔' (wěn zhuàn bù péi) to describe a 'sure thing' or a 'guaranteed profit,' which literally translates to 'steadily making money and not losing.'

Duration and Aspect: Since losing money is often a process rather than a single event, you will frequently see the aspect particle '着' (zhe) or '在' (zài) used. For example, '一直在赔钱' means 'continuously losing money.' Conversely, '赔了' (péile) indicates the loss has already occurred and is a finished state.

这笔投资让他赔得连房子都卖了。 (This investment caused him to lose so much money that he even sold his house.)

In more advanced usage, péiqián can be used to indicate compensation for damages. While '赔偿' (péicháng) is the formal word for compensation, in spoken Mandarin, someone might say '你得赔钱' (nǐ děi péiqián) meaning 'You must pay for the damage.' For example, if you break someone's window, the owner will demand that you péiqián. Here, the meaning shifts slightly from 'losing money' to 'paying out money to cover a loss caused to another.'

Common Complements: You can add resultative complements like '光' (guāng - empty) or '本' (běn - principal). '赔光' (péiguāng) means to lose every single cent. '赔本' (péiběn) means to lose the principal capital of an investment.

如果不小心，这个项目可能会让你赔钱。 (If you are not careful, this project might make you lose money.)

The word 赔钱 (péiqián) is ubiquitous in Chinese-speaking environments, appearing in contexts ranging from high-stakes financial news to casual street conversations. If you walk into a traditional market (菜市场 cài shìchǎng) in Beijing or Shanghai, you might hear a vendor shouting that they are '赔钱处理' (péiqián chǔlǐ) their goods. In this setting, the word is used as a marketing tool to convince customers that the prices are so low that the seller is actually losing money to clear the stock. It creates a sense of urgency and value for the buyer.

In the Financial World: Turn on any Chinese financial news channel like CCTV-2, and you will hear analysts discussing whether a particular sector is '赔钱' or '盈利' (yínglì - profitable). During a bear market, social media platforms like Weibo or Xiaohongshu will be flooded with users complaining about how much money they have lost in their '基金' (jījīn - mutual funds) or '股票' (gǔpiào - stocks).

现在的餐饮业很难做，很多老板都在赔钱。 (The catering industry is very hard to do now; many bosses are losing money.)

In family settings, péiqián is often part of serious discussions about the future. Parents might advise their children against certain career paths or business ideas by saying '那是个赔钱的买卖' (nà shì gè péiqián de mǎimai - that's a losing business). It reflects a pragmatic cultural focus on financial stability. You will also hear it in the context of traffic accidents. If two drivers are arguing on the side of the road, the one whose car was hit will almost certainly demand that the other party '赔钱' for the repairs.

Social Media and Slang: On the internet, users often use self-deprecating humor regarding their poor investment choices. Phrases like '赔得想哭' (losing so much I want to cry) or '赔得底裤都没了' (lost even my underwear) are common slang expressions used to hyperbolize financial losses in a humorous way among peers.

网上买的东西质量太差，退货还要我自己赔钱付运费。 (The quality of the things I bought online is too poor, and I even have to lose money by paying for the return shipping myself.)

Finally, in the workplace, managers might use the term when discussing project budgets. If a project is '赔钱' it means the company is spending more than the projected return, which usually leads to the project being cancelled or restructured. Understanding the weight of this word in a professional context is crucial for anyone working in a Chinese-speaking business environment, as it is often the ultimate 'red flag' for any initiative.

Legal and Formal Contexts: While '赔钱' is the common term, in a courtroom, a lawyer would use '赔偿损失' (péicháng sǔnshī - compensate for losses). However, the client, when explaining the situation to friends, would simply say '我让他赔钱了' (I made him pay money/compensate me).

你别听他忽悠，那个项目肯定会赔钱的。 (Don't listen to his nonsense; that project will definitely lose money.)

One of the most frequent errors for English speakers is confusing 赔钱 (péiqián) with 丢钱 (diūqián). In English, the word 'lose' covers both 'losing an investment' and 'losing your keys.' In Chinese, these are distinct. Péiqián is only for financial deficits or compensation. If you drop a 100-yuan bill on the street, you diū (lose/misplace) it; you don't péi it. Using péiqián for a lost wallet will sound very strange to a native speaker, as it implies you were involved in a bad business deal with your wallet.

Mistake 1: Word Order with Modifiers: As a Verb-Object (VO) compound, many learners try to put adverbs after the whole word, saying '赔钱很多' (losing money a lot). The correct way is to split the word: '赔了很多钱'. This is a classic 'separable verb' issue that affects many Mandarin learners. Remember: quantify inside the word, not after it.

Incorrect: 我在股票里赔钱了五万。
Correct: 我在股票里赔了五万块钱。

Another common mistake is confusing péiqián with péicháng (赔偿). While they both involve paying money, péicháng is a formal verb meaning 'to compensate' or 'to pay reparations.' You use péicháng in legal or formal contexts. While péiqián can informally mean compensation, it is more commonly used for general business losses. If a company is sued for environmental damage, they péicháng the victims; if their product fails to sell, they péiqián.

Mistake 2: Using the wrong 'Money' word: Learners sometimes try to use '赔金' or other variations. Stick to '赔钱' for general loss. If you want to be more formal, use '亏本' (kuīběn - to lose capital) or '亏损' (kuīsǔn - financial loss).

Incorrect: 这个生意让我丢了很多钱。(This implies you dropped the money on the floor.)
Correct: 这个生意让我赔了很多钱。

There is also a subtle mistake in tone. Both characters in péiqián are second tone. Some learners accidentally say 'pèi' (4th tone) which can sound like '配' (to match/pair), changing the meaning entirely. Clear second tones are essential to avoid confusion. Furthermore, avoid using péiqián when you simply mean 'spending money' (花钱 huāqián). Spending money is a choice; losing money is an unfortunate result. If you buy a luxury car, you huāqián. If the car's value drops immediately and you sell it for less, you péiqián.

Mistake 3: Passive Voice: In English, we often say 'The money was lost.' In Chinese, you rarely use the passive '被' (bèi) with '赔钱'. You usually say 'I lost money' (我赔钱了) or 'The business is losing money' (生意在赔钱). Using '钱被赔了' sounds unnatural.

Incorrect: 我的钱被赔了。
Correct: 我赔钱了。

While 赔钱 (péiqián) is the most common way to say 'lose money,' several alternatives exist depending on the formality and the specific nature of the loss. Understanding these synonyms will help you move from a basic A2 level to a more nuanced B1/B2 level of Mandarin. The most common formal alternative is 亏损 (kuīsǔn), which is used in accounting and formal business news. While you might say '我赔钱了' to a friend, a CEO would tell shareholders, '公司今年亏损了' (The company suffered a loss this year).

亏本 (kuī běn): This term specifically means 'to lose one's capital' or 'principal'. While '赔钱' is general, '亏本' emphasizes that you didn't even make back the money you initially put in. It is often used in the phrase '亏本生意' (a business that loses its capital).

折本 (shé běn): Similar to '亏本', this is a slightly more old-fashioned or regional way to say you've lost money on a deal. The character '折' (shé) here means to break or lose. It is less common in modern urban Mandarin but still heard in certain dialects or literature.

这不仅是不赚钱，简直是亏本在做。 (This isn't just not making money; it's literally losing the principal.)

Another important distinction is 赔偿 (péicháng). As discussed in the 'Common Mistakes' section, 赔偿 is specifically about compensation for damage or loss caused to someone else. If you are '赔钱' because you made a bad investment, that is your own loss. If you are '赔钱' because you broke a vase in a shop, that is '赔偿'. In the latter case, you are 'paying out' money to settle a debt or liability.

破产 (pò chǎn): When the '赔钱' becomes so severe that all assets are gone and debts cannot be paid, you move to '破产' (bankruptcy). This is the extreme end of the financial loss spectrum.

因为连续三年的亏损，那家公司最终破产了。 (Due to three consecutive years of financial loss, that company finally went bankrupt.)

In slang, you might hear people use the word '割肉' (gē ròu - literally 'cut flesh'). This is a specific term used by stock investors to describe selling a stock at a loss to prevent further losses. It captures the painful emotional reality of '赔钱'. Similarly, '交学费' (jiāo xuéfèi - literally 'paying tuition') is a common euphemism used when someone loses money due to a lack of experience or a mistake. They view the loss as a 'tuition fee' for a life lesson.

Summary Table: - 赔钱: Common/General
- 亏损: Formal/Business
- 亏本: Losing Principal
- 赔偿: Compensation for damage
- 割肉: Stock market loss (slang)

这次投资失败就当是交学费了吧。 (Let's just treat this failed investment as paying tuition.)

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient China, 贝 (shells) were so widely used as money that almost every Chinese word related to finance, value, or trade (like 赚, 购, 费, 贵) contains the shell radical.

Pronunciation Guide

UK peɪ tʃjɛn

US peɪ tʃjɛn

In Mandarin, both characters are stressed relatively equally, but the second tone rising on both should be distinct.

Rhymes With

梅钱 (méiqián) 没钱 (méiqián) 眉前 (méiqián) 媒钱 (méiqián) 煤钱 (méiqián) 霉钱 (méiqián) 每钱 (měiqián) 美钱 (měiqián)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'péi' with a 4th tone (pèi), which sounds like 'to match'.
Pronouncing 'qián' with a 1st tone (qiān), which sounds like 'thousand'.
Merging the two tones into a flat tone.
Using the English 'p' sound with too much aspiration.
Mispronouncing the 'q' as a 'k' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The characters are relatively simple and common in everyday text.

Writing 3/5

The character '赔' has several strokes, but the radical is very recognizable.

Speaking 2/5

Easy to pronounce, though the double second tone requires attention.

Listening 2/5

Highly frequent in conversations about business and shopping.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

钱 (qián) 买 (mǎi) 卖 (mài) 生意 (shēngyì) 了 (le)

Learn Next

赚钱 (zhuànqián) 亏损 (kuīsǔn) 投资 (tóuzī) 风险 (fēngxiǎn) 赔偿 (péicháng)

Advanced

赤字 (chìzì) 破产 (pòchǎn) 资不抵债 (zī bù dǐ zhài) 套牢 (tàoláo) 杠杆 (gànggǎn)

Grammar to Know

Separable Verbs (VO)

赔了三千块钱 (Péile sānqiān kuài qián)

Resultative Complements

赔光了 (Péiguāngle)

Degree Complements

赔得非常厉害 (Péide fēicháng lìhai)

Negative Potential

赔不起 (Péibùqǐ)

Continuous Aspect with '在'

正在赔钱 (Zhèngzài péiqián)

Examples by Level

他不赔钱。

He doesn't lose money.

Basic negative sentence with '不'.

这个东西赔钱吗？

Does this thing lose money?

Simple question using the particle '吗'.

我想赚钱，不想赔钱。

I want to make money, not lose money.

Contrast between '赚钱' and '赔钱'.

他的小店赔钱了。

His small shop lost money.

Use of '了' to indicate a completed action/state.

买这个会赔钱。

Buying this will lose money.

Using '会' to indicate a future possibility.

老板说他在赔钱卖。

The boss said he is selling at a loss.

Common market phrase '赔钱卖'.

赔钱不好。

Losing money is not good.

Simple subject-predicate structure.

我没有赔钱。

I didn't lose money.

Negative past tense with '没有'.

这家饭店一直在赔钱。

This restaurant has been losing money all along.

Using '一直在' to show continuous action.

他赔了很多钱。

He lost a lot of money.

Splitting the VO compound to insert '很多'.

如果你现在卖股票，你会赔钱的。

If you sell stocks now, you will lose money.

Conditional '如果...就/会' structure.

他不小心打破了杯子，要赔钱给老板。

He accidentally broke the cup and has to pay the boss.

赔钱 used as 'to pay compensation'.

这笔生意赔了一千块。

This deal lost one thousand yuan.

Inserting a specific amount into the VO compound.

别担心，我们不会赔钱的。

Don't worry, we won't lose money.

Negative future prediction.

他怕赔钱，所以不敢投资。

He is afraid of losing money, so he doesn't dare to invest.

Using '怕' (to fear) before the verb phrase.

这个项目去年赔钱，今年赚钱了。

This project lost money last year, but made money this year.

Contrast between time periods.

虽然投资很大，但他并不担心赔钱。

Although the investment is large, he is not at all worried about losing money.

Using '虽然...但' (although... but).

由于市场不景气，很多公司都赔钱了。

Due to the market downturn, many companies have lost money.

Using '由于' (due to) to explain the cause.

他把所有的积蓄都赔光了。

He lost all of his savings completely.

Using the resultative complement '光' (guāng - empty/all gone).

做生意总是有赚有赔的。

Doing business always involves both gains and losses.

The phrase '有赚有赔' (have gains and losses).

他宁愿赔钱也不想失去信誉。

He would rather lose money than lose his reputation.

Using '宁愿...也' (would rather... than).

这次亏本就当是交学费了。

Let's just treat this loss as paying tuition.

Using the '就当是' (just treat it as) structure.

如果不改变策略，我们还会继续赔钱。

If we don't change our strategy, we will continue to lose money.

Using '继续' (continue) with '赔钱'.

他赔钱卖掉房子是为了还债。

He sold his house at a loss in order to pay off debts.

Using '是为了' (is in order to) to show purpose.

这家企业因为核心技术落后而严重赔钱。

This enterprise is losing money seriously because its core technology is lagging behind.

Using '因为...而' to show cause and effect.

股市波动剧烈，新手很容易赔钱。

The stock market fluctuates violently; it's easy for beginners to lose money.

Adverb '很容易' (very easy to).

他那笔投资赔得连本金都没收回来。

He lost so much on that investment that he didn't even get his principal back.

Using '赔得' followed by a degree complement.

与其这样一直赔钱，不如早点关门。

Rather than losing money like this continually, it's better to close down early.

Using '与其...不如' (rather than... it's better to).

他赔了不下一百万，现在心情很糟。

He lost no less than a million; he's in a very bad mood now.

Using '不下一百万' (no less than a million) as a modifier.

这种赔钱的买卖，傻子才会去做。

Only a fool would do this kind of loss-making business.

Using '赔钱' as an attributive adjective with '的'.

公司通过裁员来减少赔钱的数额。

The company is reducing the amount of loss through layoffs.

Using '通过...来' (through... in order to).

他竟然在这么稳的项里赔了钱，真让人意外。

To my surprise, he actually lost money in such a stable project.

Using '竟然' (unexpectedly) to express surprise.

尽管政府提供了补贴，该行业依然大面积赔钱。

Despite government subsidies, the industry is still losing money on a large scale.

Using '尽管...依然' (despite... still).

这种恶性竞争只会导致双方都赔钱。

This kind of vicious competition will only lead to both sides losing money.

Using '导致' (lead to) for a negative result.

他赔钱不仅仅是运气不好，更是眼光有问题。

His losing money wasn't just bad luck; it was more about a lack of vision.

Using '不仅仅是...更是' (not just... but even more so).

在没有任何风控的情况下投资，无异于直接赔钱。

Investing without any risk control is no different from losing money directly.

Using '无异于' (no different from/tantamount to).

他赔钱之后，原本的朋友都疏远了他。

After he lost money, his original friends all distanced themselves from him.

Temporal clause with '...之后'.

该项目的赔钱数额已经超出了我们的承受能力。

The amount of money lost on this project has already exceeded our bearing capacity.

Using '超出' (exceed) and '承受能力' (bearing capacity).

他试图通过法律途径让对方赔钱。

He is attempting to make the other party compensate him through legal means.

赔钱 used in the sense of legal compensation.

赔钱的阴影一直笼罩着这个家庭。

The shadow of financial loss has been looming over this family.

Metaphorical use of '阴影' (shadow) and '笼罩' (envelop).

在资本市场中，赔钱往往是由于贪婪而非无知。

In capital markets, losing money is often due to greed rather than ignorance.

Using '由于...而非' (due to... rather than).

该公司的连年赔钱预示着其即将退出历史舞台。

The company's consecutive years of loss foreshadow its imminent exit from the historical stage.

Sophisticated verbs like '预示' (foreshadow) and '连年' (consecutive years).

与其说他在做生意，不如说他在赔钱赚吆喝。

It's not so much that he's doing business as it is that he's losing money just to get attention.

The idiom '赔钱赚吆喝' (lose money but gain publicity).

赔钱的教训让他深刻反思了传统的经营模式。

The lesson of losing money made him deeply reflect on traditional business models.

Using '深刻反思' (deeply reflect).

他这种赔钱的行为在同行看来简直是不可理喻。

His money-losing behavior is simply incomprehensible to his peers.

Using '不可理喻' (incomprehensible/unreasonable).

面对巨额赔钱，他表现出了超乎常人的冷静。

Faced with a massive financial loss, he showed a calmness beyond that of ordinary people.

Using '超乎常人' (beyond ordinary people).

这次赔钱标志着该投资组合需要进行彻底的重组。

This loss marks the need for a complete restructuring of the investment portfolio.

Using '标志着' (marks/signifies).

他不仅赔了钱，还赔掉了自己半辈子的名声。

He not only lost money but also lost the reputation he built over half a lifetime.

Using '不仅...还' with a parallel structure for emphasis.

Synonyms

亏损亏本折本赔本割肉交学费失利破产

Antonyms

赚钱盈利获利发财

Common Collocations

赔钱货

赔钱卖

严重赔钱

担心赔钱

赔了很多钱

稳赚不赔

赔钱的风险

赔钱的买卖

赔钱处理

赔得精光

Common Phrases

赔钱了

— Simply states that a loss has occurred. Used very frequently in conversation.

这笔投资赔钱了。

不会赔钱

— Assuring that there won't be a loss. Common in sales pitches.

买这个肯定不会赔钱。

赔多少钱

— Asking about the specific amount of loss.

你一共赔了多少钱？

赔不起

— Cannot afford to lose or cannot afford to pay compensation.

这么贵的车，我可赔不起。

一直在赔钱

— Indicates a continuous state of losing money.

店里生意不好，一直在赔钱。

赔钱也要做

— Doing something even if it leads to a financial loss, usually for strategic reasons.

为了市场份额，赔钱也要做。

赔得想哭

— A common internet expression for feeling devastated by a loss.

基金跌得我赔得想哭。

赔钱货

— A derogatory term for something or someone that only loses money.

别买那个旧机器，就是个赔钱货。

赔钱赚吆喝

— Losing money but gaining fame or a reputation.

新店开张，往往是赔钱赚吆喝。

怕赔钱

— Being risk-averse regarding money.

他这人就是怕赔钱。

Often Confused With

赔钱 vs 丢钱 (diūqián)

Losing physical money/wallet vs. financial loss in a deal.

赔钱 vs 花钱 (huāqián)

Spending money (active) vs. losing money (passive/negative result).

赔钱 vs 赔礼 (péilǐ)

To apologize vs. to lose money.

Idioms & Expressions

"赔了夫人又折兵"

— To lose both the lady and the soldiers; meaning to suffer a double loss or lose everything after a failed trick.

他想骗人，结果赔了夫人又折兵。

Literary/Common

"稳赚不赔"

— Guaranteed profit without any risk of loss.

哪有稳赚不赔的好事？

Informal

"血本无归"

— To lose even the 'blood capital'; losing every single cent of the investment.

那次创业让他血本无归。

Formal

"亏本生意"

— A business deal where costs exceed revenue.

我从不做亏本生意。

Neutral

"赔钱赚吆喝"

— Losing money in exchange for attention or publicity.

很多互联网公司早期都是赔钱赚吆喝。

Colloquial

"倾家荡产"

— To lose one's entire family fortune.

赌博让他倾家荡产。

Formal

"入不敷出"

— Income cannot cover expenses; a state of constant loss.

由于开销太大，他现在入不敷出。

Formal

"一败涂地"

— To suffer a crushing defeat (often financial).

这次投资让他一败涂地。

Literary

"精打细算"

— To calculate carefully (often to avoid péiqián).

过日子要精打细算。

Neutral

"多收并蓄"

— To take in everything (often used ironically with losses).

他把亏损都多收并蓄了。

Rare/Literary

Easily Confused

赔钱 vs 赔偿

Both involve paying money.

赔偿 is formal compensation for damage; 赔钱 is general loss or informal compensation.

他赔偿了受害者的损失。

赔钱 vs 亏损

Both mean losing money.

亏损 is the formal/accounting term; 赔钱 is colloquial.

公司报表显示有严重亏损。

赔钱 vs 亏本

Very similar meanings.

亏本 specifically refers to losing the principal capital.

这桩买卖让他亏本了。

赔钱 vs 借钱

Both involve money transactions.

借钱 is borrowing/lending; 赔钱 is losing.

我向他借钱，但他赔钱了。

赔钱 vs 取钱

Phonetically similar start.

取钱 is withdrawing money from a bank.

我要去银行取钱。

Sentence Patterns

S + (不) 赔钱

我不赔钱。

S + 赔了 + Amount + 钱

他赔了五百块钱。

S + 赔得 + Complement

他赔得精光。

虽然...但还是赔钱

虽然他很努力，但还是赔钱了。

与其...不如...赔钱

与其一直赔钱，不如现在放弃。

S + 怕 + 赔钱

很多投资者都怕赔钱。

赔钱的风险 + 很大/很高

这个项目的赔钱风险很高。

不仅仅是赔钱，更是...

这不仅仅是赔钱，更是名誉的损失。

Word Family

Nouns

赔偿金 (péichángjīn - compensation money)

赔款 (péikuǎn - indemnity/reparations)

赔礼 (péilǐ - apology)

Verbs

赔 (péi - to compensate/lose)

赔偿 (péicháng - to compensate)

赔不是 (péibùshì - to apologize)

Adjectives

赔钱的 (péiqián de - loss-making)

亏损的 (kuīsǔn de - deficit-ridden)

赚钱 (zhuànqián)

亏本 (kuīběn)

盈利 (yínglì)

投资 (tóuzī)

生意 (shēngyì)

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in daily conversation and financial news.

Common Mistakes

我赔钱了我的钱包。 → 我丢了我的钱包。
You use '丢' for physical objects and '赔' for financial loss or compensation.
他赔钱很多。 → 他赔了很多钱。
Péiqián is a separable verb; the modifier '很多' must go between '赔' and '钱'.
这个生意让我丢钱了。 → 这个生意让我赔钱了。
Business loss is always '赔钱', never '丢钱'.
我被赔钱了。 → 我赔钱了。
In Chinese, you don't typically use the passive '被' with the act of losing money yourself.
他赔钱了打破的窗户。 → 他赔了打破窗户的钱。
The structure for paying for something specific involves putting the item before '钱' or using '赔偿'.

Tips

Splitting the Verb

Always remember that 赔钱 is a separable verb. Put your 'how much' or 'how' inside it. Say '赔了一大笔钱' instead of '赔钱了一大笔'.

New Year Taboo

Avoid using '赔' during Chinese New Year festivities. It's considered bad luck to talk about losing money when everyone is wishing for prosperity.

Formal vs. Informal

Switch to '亏损' (kuīsǔn) when writing an email to your boss or a business partner to sound more professional.

Market Talk

In markets, take '赔钱卖' with a grain of salt. It's a standard bargaining phrase and rarely means the seller is actually losing money.

Apologizing with Money

If you break something in a friend's house, saying '我赔钱给你' (I'll pay you back) is a direct and responsible way to handle the situation.

The 'Pay' Sound

The pronunciation of '赔' (péi) is very similar to 'Pay' in English. Just remember: You 'Pay' when you 'Péi' (lose/compensate).

Internet Humor

Use '交学费' when talking to friends about a bad investment. It makes you sound like you have a good attitude toward failure.

Radical Recognition

Look for the 贝 radical in characters. It almost always relates to money, which helps you guess the meaning of unfamiliar financial words.

Risk Context

Pair '赔钱' with '风险' (fēngxiǎn - risk) to talk about investment downsides: '赔钱的风险'.

Don't 'Diū' your 'Péi'

Never use '赔' for a lost wallet. Use '丢'. This is the #1 mistake learners make.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Pay' (Péi) for 'Money' (Qián). You 'Pay' out 'Money' when you lose it in a deal. Péi sounds like Pay!

Visual Association

Imagine a person standing next to a giant shell (贝) that is leaking coins (钱) into a hole in the ground.

Word Web

赔钱 (Lose money) 赚钱 (Make money) 赔偿 (Compensate) 赔礼 (Apologize) 钱财 (Wealth) 钱包 (Wallet) 亏损 (Deficit) 亏本 (Lose principal)

Challenge

Try to use '赔钱' in a sentence today to describe a snack you bought that wasn't worth the price!

Word Origin

The character 赔 (péi) is a phono-semantic compound. The 贝 (bèi) radical on the left means 'shell,' which was the earliest form of currency in China. The 咅 (pǒu) on the right provides the phonetic sound. Historically, it meant to compensate or to add to a loss. The word 钱 (qián) evolved from meaning a type of ancient agricultural tool to meaning 'money' because the tools were used for trade.

Original meaning: To compensate for a loss or to pay back.

Sino-Tibetan / Sinitic

Cultural Context

Avoid using '赔钱货' (péiqiánhuò) as it can be highly offensive, especially towards women, due to its historical use.

In English, we use 'lose money' for both business and losing a wallet. In Chinese, you must separate these concepts.

The idiom '赔了夫人又折兵' comes from the Three Kingdoms period and is widely known. Commonly heard in business-themed C-dramas like 'Ideal City' or 'Nothing But Thirty'. Frequently used in the lyrics of songs discussing the hardships of life and work.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Stock Market

股市大跌，我赔钱了。
割肉赔钱。
被套牢了，一直赔钱。
赔得精光。

Shopping/Bargaining

我这是赔钱卖给你。
再便宜我就要赔钱了。
赔钱处理，快来买。
不讲价，再讲价就赔钱了。

Accidents/Damages

你弄坏了我的车，得赔钱。
赔钱了事。
要赔多少钱？
我赔钱给你。

Business Strategy

这个项目在赔钱。
赔钱也要坚持。
减少赔钱的数额。
怕赔钱就别做生意。

Family/Personal Finance

别乱花钱，家里在赔钱。
这笔投资赔了不少钱。
怕他赔钱，没让他去。
赔钱了也不敢告诉老婆。

Conversation Starters

"你最近买的股票是赚钱了还是赔钱了？"

"听说那家饭店一直在赔钱，你觉得是什么原因？"

"如果做生意赔钱了，你会怎么办？"

"你觉得什么样的投资最容易赔钱？"

"在你们国家，如果打破商店的东西需要赔钱吗？"

Journal Prompts

写一写你曾经赔钱的一次经历，你学到了什么？

你认为‘赔钱赚吆喝’这种商业策略在现代社会还有用吗？

描述一个你认为肯定会赔钱的生意点子，并解释原因。

如果一个朋友投资赔了很多钱，你会如何安慰他？

讨论一下面对赔钱时的心理压力以及如何克服它。

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, you cannot. 赔钱 specifically refers to financial loss in business or paying for damage. For losing physical objects like keys, use '丢' (diū). For example, '我丢了钥匙' (I lost my keys).

Not inherently. It just describes a negative financial situation. However, the phrase '赔钱货' (péiqiánhuò) is very offensive and should be avoided.

赔钱 is common and informal, used in daily life. 亏损 is formal and professional, used in business reports and news. For example, you'd say '我赔钱了' to a friend, but '公司亏损了' in a meeting.

You should say '我赔了一百块钱' (Wǒ péile yībǎi kuài qián). Notice how the amount is placed between '赔' and '钱'.

No, that is '赔礼' (péilǐ) or '赔不是' (péibùshì). While they share the character '赔' (meaning to compensate), '赔钱' is strictly about money.

Not necessarily. You can lose money because of the market, bad luck, or someone else's mistake. It just describes the state of losing money.

Yes, it's very common in advertising and sales to claim something is a 'sure thing'. However, people often use it ironically because no investment is truly risk-free.

Yes! If you hit someone's car, they might shout '赔钱!' at you, meaning 'Pay for the damage!'

The most common opposite is '赚钱' (zhuànqián), meaning to make money or profit.

Yes, very. Both are second tones (rising). If you change the tone, you might be saying 'matching money' or something else entirely.

Test Yourself 180 questions

writing

Translate: I don't want to lose money.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Basic sentence structure.