kuīsǔn: 亏损 - Financial Loss, Deficit

• Keywords: kuīsǔn, 亏损, Chinese for loss, business loss in Chinese, financial deficit, company loss, what does kuisun mean, kuisun example, 亏, 损, profit and loss in Chinese
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese business term 亏损 (kuīsǔn), which means “financial loss” or “deficit.” This page breaks down the characters 亏 and 损, explains how the concept of loss is viewed in modern Chinese business culture, and provides numerous practical examples. Understanding 亏损 is crucial for anyone discussing finance, economics, or running a company in China, clearly distinguishing it from its opposite, 盈利 (yínglì) or “profit.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kuīsǔn
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To suffer a financial loss; a deficit.
• In a Nutshell: 亏损 (kuīsǔn) is the standard, formal term for a financial loss in an accounting or business sense. Think of a company's annual report: if expenses exceed income, the company is in a state of 亏损. It carries a serious, negative connotation and is the direct opposite of making a profit. While it can apply to personal investments, it's most frequently heard in the world of business, finance, and economics.

• 亏 (kuī): This character's core meaning is “deficiency,” “lack,” or “to owe.” A common related word is 吃亏 (chīkuī), which means “to suffer a loss” in a broader sense, like being taken advantage of. So, 亏 sets the foundation of being in a state of shortage.
• 损 (sǔn): This character means “to decrease,” “to damage,” or “to harm.” You can see it in words like 损坏 (sǔnhuài), meaning “to damage” or “to break.” 损 adds the idea of reduction or damage to the overall concept.

When combined, 亏损 (kuīsǔn) literally translates to “deficient and damaged” or “lacking and decreasing.” This powerful combination perfectly captures the modern meaning of a financial deficit where a company's assets or value has been reduced.

In a culture that highly values stability, saving, and demonstrable success, 亏损 (kuīsǔn) is more than just a number on a spreadsheet; it can be a source of significant stress and “loss of face” (面子, miànzi). While the Western “fail fast” startup culture often views temporary losses as a necessary part of growth (i.e., burning cash to gain market share), the traditional Chinese business mindset is often more risk-averse. A state of 亏损 can be seen as a direct reflection of poor management or a flawed strategy. For state-owned enterprises (SOEs), consistent 亏损 can have serious career implications for leadership. However, with the rise of China's tech and venture capital scene, this attitude is evolving. Ambitious startups, like their Silicon Valley counterparts, may now strategically operate at a 亏损 to rapidly scale. Nevertheless, the ultimate goal is always the celebrated milestone of 扭亏为盈 (niǔ kuī wéi yíng)—“turning a loss into a profit,” which is a frequent and praiseworthy headline in Chinese financial news.

亏损 is a formal and specific term. You'll encounter it most often in the following contexts:

• Business and Financial Reporting: This is its primary domain. It's used in annual/quarterly reports, news articles about corporate performance, and economic analysis.
• Investment: An investor might talk about their stock portfolio being in a state of 亏损.
• Formal Discussions: In a business meeting, a manager would use 亏损 to describe the company's financial state, rather than a more colloquial term.

It's important to know that in casual, everyday conversation, people are more likely to use the simpler phrase 赔钱了 (péi qián le), which literally means “lost money,” to talk about a bad business deal or a failed venture. 亏损 is the official accounting term; 赔钱 is the everyday experience.

• Example 1:
  • 由于成本上升，我们公司去年亏损了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú chéngběn shàngshēng, wǒmen gōngsī qùnián kuīsǔn le.
  • English: Due to rising costs, our company suffered a loss last year.
  • Analysis: A standard, formal sentence you might hear in a business meeting explaining poor performance.
• Example 2:
  • 这家航空公司已经连续三个季度亏损。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā hángkōng gōngsī yǐjīng liánxù sān gè jìdù kuīsǔn.
  • English: This airline has been operating at a loss for three consecutive quarters.
  • Analysis: Here, 亏损 is used as a verb describing the company's state over a period. This is common in financial news.
• Example 3:
  • 他们的目标是在明年扭亏为盈。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de mùbiāo shì zài míngnián niǔ kuī wéi yíng.
  • English: Their goal is to turn a loss into a profit next year.
  • Analysis: This example uses the highly common and important idiom 扭亏为盈 (niǔ kuī wéi yíng), which literally means “to turn a deficit into a surplus.”
• Example 4:
  • 公司的亏损总额达到了五百万人民币。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī de kuīsǔn zǒng'é dádàole wǔbǎi wàn Rénmínbì.
  • English: The company's total loss reached five million RMB.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, 亏损 functions as a noun, meaning “the loss” or “the deficit.”
• Example 5:
  • 很多新能源汽车公司目前仍处于亏损状态。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō xīn néngyuán qìchē gōngsī mùqián réng chǔyú kuīsǔn zhuàngtài.
  • English: Many new energy vehicle companies are still in a state of loss at present.
  • Analysis: The phrase 处于…状态 (chǔyú…zhuàngtài), “to be in a state of…,” is often paired with 亏损.
• Example 6:
  • 投资股票的风险之一就是可能面临严重的亏损。
  • Pinyin: Tóuzī gǔpiào de fēngxiǎn zhī yī jiùshì kěnéng miànlín yánzhòng de kuīsǔn.
  • English: One of the risks of investing in stocks is that you might face serious losses.
  • Analysis: Shows 亏损 used as a noun in the context of personal investment risk.
• Example 7:
  • 为了减少亏损，公司决定裁员。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiǎnshǎo kuīsǔn, gōngsī juédìng cáiyuán.
  • English: In order to reduce losses, the company decided to lay off employees.
  • Analysis: A common cause-and-effect sentence in a business context.
• Example 8:
  • 这个项目从一开始就在亏损。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù cóng yī kāishǐ jiù zài kuīsǔn.
  • English: This project has been losing money from the very beginning.
  • Analysis: 在亏损 (zài kuīsǔn) indicates an ongoing action or state, “is losing money.”
• Example 9:
  • 政府为亏损的国有企业提供了补贴。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ wèi kuīsǔn de guóyǒu qǐyè tígōngle bǔtiē.
  • English: The government provided subsidies for the loss-making state-owned enterprises.
  • Analysis: 亏损的 (kuīsǔn de) is used as an adjective here, modifying “state-owned enterprises.”
• Example 10:
  • 如果销售额不能提高，我们将继续亏损下去。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ xiāoshòu'é bùnéng tígāo, wǒmen jiāng jìxù kuīsǔn xiàqù.
  • English: If sales volume cannot be increased, we will continue to suffer losses.
  • Analysis: 继续…下去 (jìxù…xiàqù) emphasizes the continuation of the negative state of 亏损.

• 亏损 (kuīsǔn) vs. 赔钱 (péi qián): This is the most important distinction.
  • 亏损 is a formal, accounting term for a deficit over a period. It's objective and technical. You use it in financial statements.
  • 赔钱 (péi qián) is colloquial and transactional. It means “to lose money” on a specific deal or venture. For example: “我卖这辆车赔钱了” (Wǒ mài zhè liàng chē péi qián le - I lost money selling this car). You would not say you “亏损了” in this case.
• 亏损 (kuīsǔn) vs. 吃亏 (chīkuī):
  • 亏损 is strictly about a financial or material deficit.
  • 吃亏 (chīkuī) is about being taken advantage of, getting a bad deal, or suffering a non-financial loss. It's subjective. If you pay 100 RMB for something worth 50 RMB, you can say “我吃亏了” (Wǒ chīkuī le - I got ripped off). Your personal finances didn't necessarily go into a deficit, but you suffered a disadvantage.
• Common Mistake: Do not use 亏损 for misplacing money or items. If you lose your wallet, the correct phrase is 丢了钱包 (diūle qiánbāo), not “我亏损了我的钱包”. 亏损 is about a negative balance, not physical loss.

• 盈利 (yínglì): (Antonym) Profit; to make a profit. The direct opposite of 亏损.
• 赤字 (chìzì): (Synonym) Deficit. A very formal, technical term literally meaning “red character,” from the old accounting practice of writing losses in red ink. Often used for government budget deficits.
• 赔钱 (péi qián): (Colloquial) To lose money. The informal, everyday equivalent for a failed transaction or business venture.
• 亏本 (kuīběn): To lose one's principal/capital. This is very close to 亏损 but specifically emphasizes that the selling price was below the initial cost.
• 扭亏为盈 (niǔ kuī wéi yíng): (Idiom) To turn a loss into a profit. A key phrase in business news and reports.
• 损失 (sǔnshī): Loss; damage. A broader term that can refer to financial loss, but also physical damage, loss of life, or abstract loss (e.g., reputational loss). 亏损 is a specific type of 损失.
• 负债 (fùzhài): Debt; liabilities. Related but different. A company can have debt but still be profitable. 亏损 is about the profit/loss statement, while 负债 is on the balance sheet.
• 吃亏 (chīkuī): To be at a disadvantage; to suffer a loss (often in an unfair or social sense). Not an accounting term.