zaan6 tau4 sik6 mei5賺頭蝕尾赚头食尾
Jyutpingzaan6 tau4 sik6 mei5
Yalejaahn tàuh sihk méih
Definition
To make a profit at the beginning but suffer a loss at the end of a venture or transaction.
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
This idiom describes a specific pattern of financial outcome rather than just a general loss. It highlights the irony of starting with a successful margin only to see it eroded by the end of the transaction or project. It is frequently used in commercial contexts to warn against unsustainable pricing strategies or poor long term planning.
Examples
This business deal makes a profit at the start but a loss at the end, it is really hard to manage.
If you do business like this, aren't you afraid of making a profit at the start but a loss at the end?
Related words
Common phrases
business that starts profitable but ends in a loss
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a simple loss. It specifically requires the contrast between an initial gain and a subsequent loss, making it unsuitable for a venture that loses money from the very beginning.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
