Definition
This is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'the gains don't make up for the losses' — you spend more effort or money than the benefit you get back. It's used to caution against short-sighted decisions where the cost outweighs the reward, like buying cheap items that break quickly.
phrase
the gains do not make up for the lossesthe cost outweighs the benefit
Examples
- ，，得不偿失。Rúguǒ wèile shěng qián ér mǎi piányi huò, zuìhòu huài le zài mǎi, zhēnshi dé bù cháng shī.If you buy cheap goods to save money, and then they break and you have to buy again, it's truly a case where the gains don't make up for the losses.
- ，，得不偿失。Tā wèile duō zhuàn yì diǎn qián ér fàngqì xiūxi shíjiān, jiéguǒ shēntǐ gǎo huài le, zhēnshi dé bù cháng shī.He gave up rest time to earn a little more money, and ended up ruining his health — truly the gains don't make up for the losses.
- ，，得不偿失。Yòng gāo jià mǎi dī zhìliàng de chǎnpǐn, zuìhòu hái yào huā qián xiūlǐ, zhēnshi dé bù cháng shī.Buying low-quality products at high prices and then having to spend money on repairs — truly the gains don't make up for the losses.
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