亏损

When we talk about 亏损, we are talking about the 'red' side of the ledger. Imagine running a shop: if you pay $100 for supplies but only sell $80 worth of goods, you have a 亏损 of $20.

It is a very common term in the business world. Whether you are reading a stock market report or managing a small family business, this word is the one you hope to avoid! It signals that things are not going quite as planned financially.

Think of it as the opposite of profit (盈利). While profit makes you smile, 亏损 is the word that makes accountants reach for their calculators to see where they can cut costs.

The word 亏损 is composed of two distinct characters. 亏 (kuī) originally meant to lack or to be deficient, often used in contexts of 'waning' like the moon. 损 (sǔn) means to decrease, damage, or lose.

Historically, these characters evolved from agricultural and trade contexts. In ancient Chinese markets, if your grain was damaged or your weight was less than expected, you suffered a sun (loss). Over time, the combination became the standard technical term for economic deficits.

It is fascinating how language tracks human activity. As trade grew more complex, the need for a precise term to describe 'losing money' became essential. Today, it is a staple of modern business Chinese, bridging the gap between ancient concepts of 'diminishing' and modern corporate accounting.

You will mostly hear 亏损 in formal or professional settings. It is not typically used in casual conversation unless you are discussing investments or business news.

Common collocations include 严重亏损 (serious loss) or 出现亏损 (to incur a loss). You might also hear 止损 (stop-loss), which is a strategy to prevent further 亏损.

When speaking to friends, you might just say 'I lost money' (我赔钱了), but in a report or a meeting, 亏损 is the professional, accurate choice. It carries a weight of seriousness that makes it perfect for financial analysis.

1. 止损 (zhǐ sǔn): To stop a loss. Used when you sell an asset to prevent further decline. 2. 扭亏为盈 (niǔ kuī wéi yíng): To turn a loss into a profit. A very popular phrase in business success stories! 3. 亏损累累 (kuī sǔn lěi lěi): To have accumulated massive losses. 4. 入不敷出 (rù bù fū chū): Not quite a direct synonym, but often the cause of 亏损—when income doesn't cover expenses. 5. 血本无归 (xuè běn wú guī): To lose all your capital. This is the extreme version of a 亏损.

亏损 functions primarily as a noun or an intransitive verb. You can say 'The company had a loss' (公司有亏损) or 'The company is losing money' (公司在亏损).

In terms of pronunciation, it is a standard two-syllable word. Kuī is a high-level tone, and sǔn is a dipping tone. Practice the transition between the two for a natural flow.

It doesn't have a plural form because it is an uncountable concept in Chinese. You don't say 'losses' as a plural noun in the same way you do in English; you just use the word 亏损 regardless of the amount.