expression
expenses exceeding profits; operating at a loss
Used in business or financial contexts to describe a situation where costs are higher than revenue, resulting in a loss.
今月は掛かり負けで、利益が出なかった。
This month we had expenses exceeding profits, so we didn't make a profit.
赤字 is a more common term for 'deficit' or 'in the red', while 掛かり負け specifically emphasizes that expenses (掛かり) are the cause of the loss.
Compound of 掛かり (expenses, costs) and 負け (losing, defeat). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in financial contexts to indicate a loss due to high costs.