败 (bài) - to defeat & to be defeated

败Tone 4

bài ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 贝

傲不

败 · bài

to defeat;

to be defeated;

to fail;

to spoil;

to decay;

to lose

to defeatto be defeatedto fail

Usage highlights

defeatfailurecorruptiondeclinelossspoiled

Synonyms

  • 负— to lose (in competition)
  • 输— to lose (in games or competition)
  • 失— to lose; to fail

Antonyms

  • 胜— to win; to be victorious
  • 赢— to win; to gain
  • 成— to succeed; to accomplish

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Our team defeated the opponent (打败对手).
  • The food has spoiled (食物败了).
  • He failed in the exam (考试败了).
  • The corrupt official was punished (贪官败露).

Collocations

  • defeat(打败)
  • failure(失败)
  • corruption(腐败)
  • decline(衰败)
  • loss(败北)
  • spoiled(败坏)

Idioms

  • A crushing defeat(一败涂地)
  • To admit defeat(甘拜下风)
  • To win or lose is a common occurrence for soldiers(胜败乃兵家常事)
  • To turn defeat into victory(反败为胜)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese military strategy, understanding both victory and defeat was considered essential for true mastery.
  • The character reflects the Confucian emphasis on moral conduct, as 'corruption' (腐败) is seen as a form of moral defeat.
  • In business contexts, the character carries strong negative connotations of financial loss and failure.

FAQ