Meanings of 胜
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About 胜
Podcast: 胜
Podcast: 胜
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AI Study Notes for 胜
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.
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.
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.
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'.
Pronunciation of 胜
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Etymology of 胜
Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勝.
flesh
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 胜
Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勝.
- 1The meaning half⺼ carries the sense.
- 2The sound half生 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayflesh
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 胜? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 胜?
Decomposition of 胜
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 胜?
How to say victory in Chinese
“victory” in Chinese is胜
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.
When to use 胜
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.
胜 or something close to it
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.
What learners get wrong
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'.
Write 胜
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Practice writing 胜 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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.
Used to emphasize the manner or context of the action.
他是赢得比赛的。
He is the one who won the match.
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
Similar pronunciation but different meanings.
Different tone and meaning, but similar phonetic structure.
胜 means to defeat or surpass, while 胜利 specifically refers to victory.
他们取得了胜利。
胜 means to defeat or surpass, while 胜利 specifically refers to victory.
Spot the Difference
Which character means "victory"?
Usage Notes for 胜
胜 can be used to indicate superiority in comparisons.
他胜过我。
He surpasses me.
Fill in the Blank
他____过我。
He surpasses me.
Example Sentences for 胜 (10)
Word Family of 胜
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.
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