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Chinese/Dictionary entry

有所得必有所失

yǒu suǒ dé bì yǒu suǒ shīdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
there is no gain without a loss (idiom) / there is no such thing as a free meal
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-ba0039107082660d. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

有所得必有所失 有所得必有所失 [you3 suo3 de2 bi4 you3 suo3 shi1] /there is no gain without a loss (idiom)/there is no such thing as a free meal/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

  • 有
    yǒu

    to have / there is / (bound form) having / with / -ful / -ed / -al (as in 有意[yǒu yì] intentional)

  • 所
    suǒ

    actually / place / classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc / that which / particle introducing a relative clause or passive / CL:個|个[gè]

  • 得
    dé

    to obtain / to get / to gain / to catch (a disease) / proper / suitable / proud / contented / to allow / to permit / ready / finished

    dè

    used in 得瑟[dè se]

    de

    structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc

    děi

    to have to / must / ought to / to need to

  • 必
    bì

    must / necessarily / certainly / (literary) if

  • 有
    yǒu

    to have / there is / (bound form) having / with / -ful / -ed / -al (as in 有意[yǒu yì] intentional)

  • 所
    suǒ

    actually / place / classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc / that which / particle introducing a relative clause or passive / CL:個|个[gè]

  • 失
    shī

    to lose / to miss / to fail

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.