Lately, I've been mixing in the investment circle, and I hear the term "cutting leeks" more and more frequently, especially when friends tease me a few times for losing money. To be honest, many people don't really understand what "cutting leeks" actually means, let alone how to avoid becoming that leek being cut.

The metaphor of leeks is actually quite vivid. Leeks grow quickly and have strong vitality; after being cut one batch, they can continue to grow again and again. In the investment market, this term is used to describe retail investors who keep losing money. They are like leeks—one wave gets cut, a new wave comes in, cycle after cycle.

Basically, "cutting leeks" means that the market makers or big funds use various methods to make retail investors lose money in trading. Retail investors lack experience, information, and capital advantages, and are easily led by emotions—buying high and selling low—resulting in total losses. The market makers exploit this by offloading at high prices and accumulating at low prices, profiting from retail investors' losses.

The most common methods of "cutting leeks" in the market include a few tactics. Pumping up the price to offload is a classic routine: market makers quietly accumulate shares at low prices, then create a lively market illusion through wash trading, causing retail investors to FOMO in as they see the stock price rise. Finally, the market makers dump at high prices and leave, leaving retail investors holding the bag. There are also scam-like schemes such as "pig butchering," where scammers pose as investment mentors, post fake profit screenshots, and lure people to invest before running off with the money. In the crypto space, there are also air coins and schemes of "left hand to right hand," creating false prosperity.

How to tell if you've become a leek? There are usually a few typical signs. First is following the crowd to buy—buying whatever others buy without your own judgment. Second is lack of awareness—limited understanding of market operations and investment targets, unable to read the market. Also, not knowing how to take profits or cut losses—wanting to make more when making money, unwilling to admit defeat when losing, ending up losing more and more. The most obvious sign is buying high and selling low, being led by market sentiment.

To avoid being cut, you first need your own investment methodology. Don't blindly trust so-called experts' analysis; listen more, think more, observe more, and finally make your own decisions. At the same time, cultivate a strong mindset and control emotional fluctuations. Buffett said, "Be fearful when others are greedy, be greedy when others are fearful." During a bull market, be cautious; during a bear market, you can actively deploy.

The second point is to learn to take profits and cut losses. Set clear profit-taking and stop-loss levels—for example, exit decisively at 30% profit, or cut losses promptly when reaching a certain percentage. Many trading platforms offer stop-loss functions; using this tool well can prevent many losses.

The third is diversification—don't put all your eggs in one basket. Also, learn to do both long and short positions, so you can seize opportunities during market downturns.

The fourth is to get market information in a timely manner. Pay attention to both technical and fundamental analysis; don't focus only on technicals and ignore fundamentals. Missing major news due to carelessness can turn profits into losses. Use tools provided by trading platforms, such as economic calendars, real-time news, and sentiment indices, to quickly grasp first-hand market conditions.

Finally, the most important point: choose legitimate and compliant investment platforms. Never trust unknown mentors or invest in unregulated small platforms. Only when your funds are secure and protected does investing make sense.

In summary, once you understand what "cutting leeks" means and the various tactics involved, new investors can largely avoid being cut. But to truly become an investment expert, you need to continuously accumulate experience and knowledge. If you've already been cut, don't be discouraged—review your trades, learn lessons, and avoid making the same mistakes again.