赔本

賠本

péiběn

verb #42,794

Meanings

1 to lose money in business
2 to operate at a loss
3 to take a financial loss

Characters

to compensate / lose

capital / principal

Examples

这笔生意赔本了。

Zhè bǐ shēngyi péiběn le.

We lost money on this deal.

他宁愿赔本也不愿失去客户。

Tā nìngyuàn péiběn yě bú yuàn shīqù kèhù.

He'd rather take a loss than lose his customers.

Tips

memory

本 (běn) = 'capital / principal' (as in 本钱 'capital'); 赔 = 'to compensate / lose.' Together: 'to lose your capital.' Common phrase: 赔本买卖 ('a money-losing deal') — used both literally and figuratively for any bad bargain.

Stroke Order

赔 péi

本 běn