# 得不偿失

dé bù cháng shī

The gain does not make up for the loss

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** What is gained cannot repay what is lost

**Traditional Chinese:** 得不償失

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Use when a choice costs more than its benefit.

Compare the actual costs and gains rather than using it vaguely.

## Behind the words

The expression sets gain against loss. Traditional prose uses this balance to criticize a decision whose apparent benefit is outweighed by its cost.

得 points to the gain, while 失 includes what is lost or sacrificed. The expression weighs both sides and judges that the benefit is insufficient. The loss may concern time, relationships, health, or opportunity rather than money alone. It is useful after identifying the hidden cost that makes an apparently attractive choice poor overall.

## Examples

为了省一点钱浪费一天时间，得不偿失。

### Traditional Chinese

為了省一點錢浪費一天時間，得不償失。

wèi le shěng yì diǎn qián làng fèi yì tiān shí jiān ， dé bù cháng shī 。

Wasting a whole day to save a little money is not worth the cost.

为了省车费走太远，耽误了重要会议，得不偿失。

### Traditional Chinese

為了省車費走太遠，耽誤了重要會議，得不償失。

wèi le shěng chē fèi zǒu tài yuǎn ， dān wù le zhòng yào huì yì ， dé bù cháng shī 。

Walking too far to save the fare made us miss an important meeting, so the saving was not worth the cost.

这份兼职影响了休息和正职，恐怕得不偿失。

### Traditional Chinese

這份兼職影響了休息和正職，恐怕得不償失。

zhè fèn jiān zhí yǐng xiǎng le xiū xi hé zhèng zhí ， kǒng pà dé bù cháng shī 。

The side job harms rest and the main job, so its benefits may not outweigh its costs.

用便宜材料导致返工，最后得不偿失。

### Traditional Chinese

用便宜材料導致返工，最後得不償失。

yòng pián yi cái liào dǎo zhì fǎn gōng ， zuì hòu dé bù cháng shī 。

Using cheap materials led to rework and cost more than it saved.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=913&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%BE%97%E4%B8%8D%E5%84%9F%E5%A4%B1)

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