pò​cái​miǎn​zāi

to suffer a financial loss to avoid disaster

  1. to suffer financial loss
    to suffer an unexpected financial loss or setback; to spend money unexpectedly; often used in the context of spending money to avoid even greater trouble or misfortune
  2. to avoid
    To avoid, escape, or avert; to manage to dodge something undesirable.
  3. disaster
    (bound form) disaster; calamity; catastrophe (e.g. floods, fire, or drought)