jan1 siu2 sat1 daai6因小失大
Jyutpingjan1 siu2 sat1 daai6
Yaleyān síu sāt daaih
Definition
To suffer a great loss for a small gain; to lose something major for a minor benefit.
colloquialother
How it's used
This idiom functions as a warning against short-sightedness where the focus on immediate, minor benefits blinds one to the long-term consequences. It is frequently used in advice or when reflecting on poor decision-making in business or personal relationships. Unlike some formal idioms that feel stiff, this is commonly used in everyday speech to highlight the irony of a bad trade-off.
Examples
You fell out with someone over a tiny bit of money, that is really suffering a great loss for a small gain.
Related words
Common phrases
really suffering a great loss for a small gain
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple verb, but it is a four-character idiom that acts as a predicate or a descriptive phrase. Avoid using it as a direct object; it is best placed after a subject to describe an action or a situation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
