得不偿失

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: dé bù cháng shī
• English Translation: The gains do not make up for the losses (not worth the effort)
• Idiom Composition: 「得」（To gain, obtain, or the profit itself）＋「不」（Not (negation)）＋「偿」（To compensate, offset, or be equal to）＋「失」（To lose, or the loss/sacrifice itself）
• Meaning: A situation where the benefits or profits obtained are far outweighed by the cost, sacrifice, or damage incurred. It is used to describe a poor trade-off or an outcome that is not worth the trouble.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「得不偿失」 contains the following nuances:

• Poor Return on Investment: This idiom applies not only to financial loss but to any 'cost'—including time, energy, health, or reputation—that yields a disproportionately small reward.
• Evaluative Judgment: It is usually used as a post-hoc evaluation of a mistake or as a predictive warning to stop someone from making a bad decision.

3. Usage

「得不偿失」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Business and Investment: Frequently used to criticize or warn against projects or deals where the risks or costs exceed the potential profits.
  • Example:「为了节省一点成本而降低产品质量，最终会导致客户流失，这简直是得不偿失。」
    （Lowering product quality to save a bit on costs will eventually lead to a loss of customers, which is simply not worth the effort.）
• Daily Life and Health: Used to advise against sacrificing health or precious time for minor gains or temporary pleasures.
  • Example:「经常熬夜加班虽然能多赚点钱，但搞垮了身体就得不偿失了。」
    （Although you might earn a bit more money by frequently staying up late to work, it is not worth the candle if you ruin your health.）
• Disputes and Conflicts: Refers to situations where winning a fight or a legal battle costs so much that the 'winner' actually loses in the end.
  • Example:「这场官司虽然打赢了，但耗费了大量的时间和金钱，实在是得不偿失。」
    （Although this lawsuit was won, it consumed a vast amount of time and money, making it a result where the gains did not make up for the losses.）

Additional Examples:

1. 贪图便宜买了劣质商品，没用几天就坏了，真是得不偿失。
   （Buying inferior goods just because they were cheap only to have them break in a few days is truly being penny wise and pound foolish.）
2. 为了面子而大操大办婚礼，最后背上一身债，这种做法得不偿失。
   （Throwing a lavish wedding just for the sake of 'face' and ending up in debt is not worth the cost.）
3. 过度开发自然资源虽然能带来短期经济增长，但破坏了环境，长远来看是得不偿失的。
   （Over-exploiting natural resources might bring short-term economic growth, but because it destroys the environment, it is more harmful than beneficial in the long run.）
4. 不要为了捡芝麻而丢了西瓜，那样做只会得不偿失。
   （Don't drop the watermelon just to pick up a sesame seed; doing so will only result in losing more than you gain.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The phrase can be traced back to the Book of the Later Han (后汉书), which contains the line 'the gain does not compensate for the loss, and the achievement is not half the labor.'
• A famous historical context involves Sun Quan (孙权), the ruler of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Despite warnings from his general Lu Xun (陆逊), he sent an expedition to Yizhou (modern-day Taiwan). The army suffered heavy casualties from disease, and the few people they brought back did not justify the massive loss of troops.
• In modern Chinese society, this idiom is the standard way to describe a lack of 'cost-performance' (性价比 - xìng jià bǐ), a concept very important in consumer and business culture.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 因小失大 (yīn xiǎo shī dà): To lose something big for the sake of something small.
  • 事倍功半 (shì bèi gōng bàn): Twice the effort for half the result; highly inefficient.
  • 枉费心机 (wǎng fèi xīn jī): All efforts are wasted and come to nothing.link
  • 竹篮打水 (zhú lán dá shuǐ): To make a futile effort.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 一举两得 (yī jǔ liǎng dé): To achieve two things with one action; killing two birds with one stone.link
  • 事半功倍 (shì bàn gōng bèi): Half the effort for twice the result; highly efficient.link

6. Summary

得不偿失 (dé bù cháng shī) is a highly practical idiom used to critique or warn against decisions where the 'price' paid is higher than the reward. Whether in business, health, or personal relationships, it describes a negative return on investment. It is similar to the English concepts of being 'penny wise and pound foolish' or a 'Pyrrhic victory.'