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胜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
shèngvictoryHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngsuccessHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngto beatHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngto defeatHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngto surpassHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngvictoriousHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngsuperior toHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngto get the better ofHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngbetter thanHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngsurpassingHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngsuperb (of vista)HSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngbeautiful (scenery)HSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngwonderful (view)HSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèng(Taiwan pr. [shēng]) able to bearHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngequal to (a task)HSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèngvictory; to excel, to truimphHSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèng(Taiwan pr. [sheng1]) able to bearHSK 5, unknown, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #2121, Medium
shèng(sheng4) T4
  1. 1victory
  2. 2success
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

(勝)shèng(sheng4)

The character 胜 (shèng) means to achieve victory or success, often used in contexts involving competition or overcoming obstacles. It can refer to surpassing others in a skill or ability, and is frequently used in both formal and informal settings to denote triumph or excellence.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#2121DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

Victory is highly celebrated in Chinese culture, particularly in sports and competitions like the Olympics. The concept of 胜 is often associated with national pride and personal achievement, reflecting the importance of success in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a victorious knight holding a shining trophy, signifying success. The left part 背 (bèi) resembles a person standing tall, while the right side represents a winning flag. Together, they evoke the image of someone who has triumphed in battle or competition.

Meanings of 胜

shèng(sheng4)
1victory
2success
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 胜

Simplified
Traditional
9Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2121Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 胜

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 胜

Quick Contrast

胜 (shèng) vs 赢 (yíng) — choose 胜 when emphasizing overall victory or success, especially in a competitive context, while 赢 is more about winning in a specific game or match.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a victorious knight holding a shining trophy, signifying success. The left part 背 (bèi) resembles a person standing tall, while the right side represents a winning flag. Together, they evoke the image of someone who has triumphed in battle or competition.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 胜 (shèng) with 省 (shěng), which means to save or to economize. 胜 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, such as sports or exams, and commonly collocates with 负 (fù) meaning defeat. The tone can change its meaning completely, so pay attention to pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

While 胜 is not included in the official HSK levels, it shares connections with other words related to success and competition, such as 赢 (yíng) meaning to win. Focus on recognizing its use in various contexts to enhance vocabulary related to achievement.

Cultural Note

Victory is highly celebrated in Chinese culture, particularly in sports and competitions like the Olympics. The concept of 胜 is often associated with national pride and personal achievement, reflecting the importance of success in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 胜 (shèng) with 省 (shěng), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我省了比赛' (wǒ shěngle bǐsài) instead of '我胜了比赛' (wǒ shèngle bǐsài) which means 'I won the match'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 胜

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Etymology of 胜

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勝.

Memory Hint

flesh

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 胜?

Decomposition of 胜

IDS Structure⿰⺼生
Full Character
=
rou4
left
sheng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 胜?

Write 胜

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 胜

胜 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 17 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

Used to emphasize the manner or context of the action.

他是赢得比赛的。

tā shì yíng dé bǐsài de.

He is the one who won the match.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

面对困难,我们要么被它吓倒,要么战____它。

Facing difficulty, we either get intimidated by it or overcome it.

Common Confusions with 胜

vs
shēng

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

vs
shěng

Different tone and meaning, but similar phonetic structure.

胜 means to defeat or surpass, while 胜利 specifically refers to victory.

1

他们取得了胜利。

胜 means to defeat or surpass, while 胜利 specifically refers to victory.

💡Remember that 胜利 is about the state of winning, while 胜 is the action of beating.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "victory"?

or

Usage Notes for 胜

Use in comparisonsGrammar Tip

胜 can be used to indicate superiority in comparisons.

1

他胜过我。

He surpasses me.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

他____过我。

He surpasses me.

Example Sentences for 胜 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他以前总是跟我唠叨必须获胜才行。

tā yǐ qián zǒng shì gēn wǒ lào tāo bì xū huò shèng cái háng。

He used to keep on at me about the need to win.
2
每场初赛的获胜者进入决赛。

měi cháng chū sài de huò shèng zhě jìn rù jué sài。

The winner of each preliminary goes through to the final.
3
他们的作品一如既往地引人入胜、气韵潇洒、新颖别致,不会让你失望。

tā mén de zuò pǐn yī rú jì wǎng dì yǐn rén rù shèng、 、 qì yùn xiāo、 sǎ 、 xīn yǐng, bié zhì , bù huì ràng。

Their work has all the usual punch, panache and flair you'dexpect.
4
经过5小时41分钟的较量,菲舍尔获得了胜利。

jīng guò5 5 xiǎo41 shí 41 fēn zhōng de, jiào liáng , fēi shě ěr huò dé。

Fischer won after 5 hours and 41 minutes of play.
5
12月9日将举行这两位候选人的决胜选举。

12 129 yuè 9 rì jiāng jǔ háng zhè liǎng wèi hòu xuǎn rén de jué shèng。

There will be a run-off between these two candidates on December 9th.
6
这是一种形象胜于语言的艺术。

zhè shì yī zhǒng xíng xiàng shèng yú yǔ yán de yì shù。

It was an art in which words were subordinate to images.
7
这是一部气势恢宏、引人入胜的电影,充满了动人心魄的瑰丽意象。

zhè shì yī bù qì shì huī hóng、 、 yǐn rén rù shèng de diàn, yǐng , chōng mǎn le dòng rén xīn pò de guī lì。

This is an ambitious and intriguing movie, full of striking imagery.
8
至于这场战争,黑格认为要不惜任何代价取得胜利。

zhì yú zhè cháng zhàn zhēng, , hēi gé rèn wéi yào bù xī rèn hé dài jià qǔ dé shèng。

As regards the war, Haig believed in victory at any price.
9
这场胜利为我们在比利时的比赛鼓足了劲儿。

zhè cháng shèng lì wéi wǒ mén zài bǐ lì shí de bǐ sài gǔ zú le jìn ér。

The win sets us up perfectly for the match in Belgium.
10
一到达埃尔金,一日游的游客就参观了一些当地的风景名胜。

yī dào dá āi ěr jīn, , yī rì yóu de yóu kè jiù cān guān le yī xiē dāng dì de fēng jǐng míng。

Once at Elgin day-trippers visit a number of local sights.

Cultural Notes for 胜

🏮Cultural insight

Victory is highly celebrated in Chinese culture, particularly in sports and competitions like the Olympics. The concept of 胜 is often associated with national pride and personal achievement, reflecting the importance of success in Chinese society.

Word Family of 胜

Words Containing This Character20
胜利shènglìvictory勝利
shèngvictory
战胜zhànshèngto defeat戰勝
获胜huòshèngvictorious獲勝
胜过to excel勝過
取胜qǔshèngto score a victory取勝
胜任shèngrènqualified勝任
胜负shèngfùvictory or defeat勝負
胜利者victor勝利者
胜地well-known scenic spot勝地
胜算odds of success勝算
不胜very不勝
胜诉to win a court case勝訴
决胜to determine victory決勝
战无不胜to succeed in every undertaking戰無不勝
全胜total victory全勝
引人入胜yǐnrénrùshèngto enchant引人入勝
险胜to barely win險勝
名胜míngshèngscenic spot名勝
得胜to triumph over an opponent得勝
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 胜利 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 胜

While both 胜 (shèng) and 赢 (yíng) can mean 'to win,' 胜 has a broader context, often implying a sense of victory or success in a competition. 赢 is more focused on the act of winning, especially in games or contests. Understanding the nuances can help in choosing the right word for different situations.