短斤少两

短斤少兩

duǎnjīnshǎoliǎng

idiom

Meanings

1 to give short weight
2 to cheat customers on quantity

Characters

Examples

这家店因短斤少两被罚款。

Zhè jiā diàn yīn duǎn jīn shǎo liǎng bèi fákuǎn.

This shop was fined for giving short weight.

买菜时要小心商贩短斤少两。

Mǎi cài shí yào xiǎoxīn shāngfàn duǎn jīn shǎo liǎng.

When buying vegetables, watch out for vendors who shortchange on weight.

诚信经营，绝不短斤少两。

Chéngxìn jīngyíng, jué bù duǎn jīn shǎo liǎng.

Honest business — we never shortchange on weight.

Tips

usage

Variant of 缺斤短两 (quējīnduǎnliǎng); both are in common use. 斤 and 两 are traditional Chinese weight units (500g and 50g respectively), giving the phrase a distinctly market-stall feel.

register

Colloquial, widely used in consumer-protection contexts and everyday grumbling about dishonest vendors.

Stroke Order

短 duǎn

斤 jīn

少 shǎo

两 liǎng