亏 (kuī)

to lose (money); to have a deficit; to be deficient; to treat unfairly

Etymology

Originally the same character as 于, depicting a musical wind instrument with a reed, which is now written as 竽. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“于,於也。象气之舒于。从丂,从一。一者,其气平之也。”

Original meaning

wind instrument