Translation guide
A situation where one side's gain is exactly balanced by another's loss. In Japanese, the term is often used in economics, politics, and everyday metaphors.
zero-sum game
Describing a situation where total gains and losses sum to zero.
Direct loanword from English, widely understood in economics and general contexts.
Trade is not a zero-sum game.
Uses the Japanese word for 'sum' (和). Slightly more formal or academic.
This negotiation tends to become a zero-sum game.
Describing any competitive situation where one person's success means another's failure.
Common way to describe a zero-sum-like situation metaphorically.
Some people see the race for promotion as a zero-sum situation.
Literal explanation: 'if one side gains, the other loses.' Useful when avoiding loanwords.
The loanword ゼロサムゲーム is very common and easily understood. You can also use the explanatory phrase 一方が得をすれば他方が損をする to clarify the concept without jargon.
Life isn't a matter of one side gaining and the other losing.