理虧

理亏
lǐkuī
in the wrong

CEDICT

to be in the wrong

Wiktionary

行為違背常規而於道理上有所虧欠。《初刻拍案驚奇．卷二》：「太守又去拿姜秀才，姜秀才情知理虧，躲了不出見官。」《儒林外史．第六回》：「如今自知理虧，還不過來向嚴老爺跟前磕頭討饒！」也作「理短」、「理曲」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 理 lǐ
  1. texture
  2. grain (of wood)
  3. inner essence
  4. intrinsic order
  5. reason
  6. logic
  7. truth
  8. science
  9. natural science (esp. physics)
  10. to manage
  11. to pay attention to
  12. to run (affairs)
  13. to handle
  14. to put in order
  15. to tidy up
2 虧 kuī
  1. to lose (money); to have a deficit
  2. to be deficient
  3. to treat unfairly
  4. luckily; fortunately; thanks to
  5. (used to introduce an ironic remark about sb who has fallen short of expectations)

Containing this entry

自知理虧 zìzhīlǐkuī to know that one is in the wrong (idiom)