HSK 5, unknown, 3 strokes, radical 二, rank #10404, Hard
亏
kuī
(often ironically) fancy that...
HSK 5, unknown, 3 strokes, radical 二, rank #10404, Hard
kuī(kui1)kui T1
1deficiency
2deficit
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March 24, 2026
亏(虧)kuī(kui1)
The character 亏 (kuī) primarily means 'to lose' or 'to suffer a loss.' It is often used in contexts related to financial deficits, but can also imply a deficiency or shortfall in other areas. In some contexts, it can convey a sense of irony, as in acknowledging a fortunate outcome despite a loss.
Strokes3Radical二Frequency#10404DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, discussing financial losses openly can be somewhat taboo, as it reflects on one's personal management skills. The character 亏 may also appear in idiomatic expressions that highlight the irony of a situation.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'key' (sounds like 'kuī') that unlocks a treasure chest, but when you open it, you find it empty—this represents a loss or deficiency. The character 亏 features a 'mountain' (山) under 'deficient' (亻), suggesting a loss of resources or support.
Meanings of 亏
kuī(kui1)
1deficiency
2deficit
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 亏
亏Simplified
虧Traditional
3Strokes
二Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#10404Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 亏
Podcast: 亏
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AI Study Notes for 亏
Quick Contrast
亏 (kuī) vs 损 (sǔn) — use 亏 when emphasizing personal loss or deficiency; use 损 when referring to damage or harm to something.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone, as 亏 has a falling tone (kuī), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing finances. Common collocations include 亏损 (kuīsǔn - deficit) and 亏欠 (kuīqiàn - owe a debt).
HSK Study Tips
While 亏 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is useful for understanding financial discussions. Students should focus on its usage in expressing loss and deficiency, connecting it with other financial terms like 利润 (lìrùn - profit) and 盈余 (yíngyú - surplus).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 亏 with similar characters like 虧 (also pronounced kuī), which can lead to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我亏了很多食物' (Wǒ kuī le hěn duō shíwù) instead of using a more appropriate term for food loss can sound awkward.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 亏
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Knowing 亏 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 亏 (kuī) primarily means 'to lose' or 'to suffer a loss.' It is often used in contexts related to financial deficits, but can also imply a deficiency or shortfall in other areas. In some contexts, it can convey a sense of irony, as in acknowledging a fortunate outcome despite a loss.
When to use 亏
Be careful with the tone, as 亏 has a falling tone (kuī), which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing finances. Common collocations include 亏损 (kuīsǔn - deficit) and 亏欠 (kuīqiàn - owe a debt).
亏 or something close to it
亏 (kuī) vs 损 (sǔn) — use 亏 when emphasizing personal loss or deficiency; use 损 when referring to damage or harm to something.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 亏 with similar characters like 虧 (also pronounced kuī), which can lead to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我亏了很多食物' (Wǒ kuī le hěn duō shíwù) instead of using a more appropriate term for food loss can sound awkward.
Write 亏
亏
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Grammar Patterns of 亏
亏 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
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Word Family of 亏
Compounds13
夸kua1see 夸克[kuā kè]
污wu1variant of 污[wū]
肟wo4oxime, oximide, -oxil
圬wu1to whitewash, to plaster over with mud
咢e4onomatopoetic, a drumming sound
杇
雩yu2to offer a sacrifice for rain
扝
疞
芌
蕚
迃
釫
Words Containing This Character20
多亏duōkuīthanks to多虧
亏损kuīsǔndeficit虧損
亏kuīdeficit虧
幸亏xìngkuīfortunately幸虧
吃亏chīkuīto suffer losses吃虧
亏欠deficit虧欠
亏本kuīběnto make a loss虧本
亏待kuīdàito treat sb unfairly虧待
功亏一篑to fail through lack of a final effort功虧一簣
盈亏profit and loss盈虧
扭亏to reverse a loss扭虧
亏空in debt虧空
自负盈亏financially autonomous自負盈虧
亏得fortunately虧得
亏心事shameful deed虧心事
理亏in the wrong理虧
吃大亏to cost one dearly吃大虧
哑巴亏pent-up unspoken grievances啞巴虧
血亏anemia血虧
得亏luckily得虧
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 亏
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Frequently Asked Questions about 亏
You might say '我亏了很多钱' (Wǒ kuī le hěn duō qián) meaning 'I lost a lot of money.'
Typically, yes, but it can also be used in a more ironic sense, such as '亏我还以为会赢' (kuī wǒ hái yǐwéi huì yíng), meaning 'I thought I would win, how ironic.'
Common phrases include 亏损 (kuīsǔn - deficit) and 亏欠 (kuīqiàn - owe something).
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