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March 24, 2026
败(敗)bài(bai4)
The character 败 (bài) primarily means to defeat or fail. It is commonly used in contexts involving competition, such as sports or battles, as well as in discussions about personal or business failures. The nuance of this word can imply not just losing, but also a sense of damage or decline.
Strokes8Radical贝Frequency#5522DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of failure is often tied to the idea of honor. Losing face (丢脸) can be a significant concern, making the ramifications of 败 particularly impactful in social and professional settings.
Memory Tip
Visualize a 'bad' (bài sounds like 'bye') situation where a warrior is defeated in battle, and their flag is lowered in defeat. The component '衣' (clothing) suggests the attire of the defeated warrior, while '败' captures the essence of losing. Remember this image to connect the character's form and meaning.
Meanings of 败
bài(bai4)
1to defeat
2to damage
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 败
败Simplified
敗Traditional
8Strokes
贝Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#5522Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 败
Podcast: 败
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AI Study Notes for 败
Quick Contrast
败 (bài) vs 输 (shū) — use 败 when emphasizing the sense of damage or decline in defeat, while 输 focuses more on the act of losing.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone of the word; it is pronounced in the fourth tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Avoid using 败 in overly formal contexts; instead, prefer terms like 失败 (shībài) for failure in a more formal setting. Common collocations include 失败 (failure) and 战败 (military defeat).
HSK Study Tips
Though 败 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary around competition and failure, which learners at HSK 4 and above will encounter. Focus on using it in sentences related to competition or setbacks to reinforce understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 败 with 胜 (shèng), which means to win. For example, saying '我在比赛中败了' (I won the competition) is incorrect; it should be '我在比赛中胜了' (I won the competition).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 败
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Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 贝 represents the sound. Simplified form of 敗.
1The meaning half攵 carries the sense.
2The sound half贝 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayrap
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 败? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 败?
Decomposition of 败
IDS Structure⿰贝攵
败Full Character
=
贝Bei4
left
攵pu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 败?
How to say to defeat in Chinese
“to defeat” in Chinese is败bài
The character 败 (bài) primarily means to defeat or fail. It is commonly used in contexts involving competition, such as sports or battles, as well as in discussions about personal or business failures. The nuance of this word can imply not just losing, but also a sense of damage or decline.
When to use 败
Be cautious with the tone of the word; it is pronounced in the fourth tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Avoid using 败 in overly formal contexts; instead, prefer terms like 失败 (shībài) for failure in a more formal setting. Common collocations include 失败 (failure) and 战败 (military defeat).
败 or something close to it
败 (bài) vs 输 (shū) — use 败 when emphasizing the sense of damage or decline in defeat, while 输 focuses more on the act of losing.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 败 with 胜 (shèng), which means to win. For example, saying '我在比赛中败了' (I won the competition) is incorrect; it should be '我在比赛中胜了' (I won the competition).
Write 败
败
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Practice writing 败 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 败
败 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 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
This was an uncharitable assessment of the reasons for the failure.
5
他最近对华盛顿的访问几乎是一场惨败。
tā zuì jìn duì huá shèng dùn de fǎng wèn jī hū shì yī cháng cǎn bài。
His last visit to Washington was little short of a fiasco.
6
他轻松战胜了星期六击败厄尼·埃尔斯的加西亚。
tā qīng sōng zhàn shèng le xīng qī liù jī bài è ní· · āi ěr sī de jiā xī。
He easily overcame Garcia, Saturday's conqueror of Ernie Els.
7
对手认为他必败无疑。
duì shǒu rèn wéi tā bì bài wú yí。
His opponents believe he is definitely on the run.
8
查尔斯顿惨败错不在他。
chá ěr sī dùn cǎn bài cuò bù zài tā。
The blame for the Charleston fiasco did not lie with him.
9
在壁球场上他的主要目标就是击败我。
zài bì qiú cháng shàng tā de zhǔ yào mù biāo jiù shì jī bài wǒ。
In the squash court his chief aim is to flatten me.
10
在世界杯热身赛中，乌拉圭队打败了英格兰队。
zài shì jiè bēi rè shēn sài zhōng， ， wū lā guī duì dǎ bài le yīng gé lán。
In a warm-up game for the World Cup, Uruguay have beaten England.
Cultural Notes for 败
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, losing (败) is often seen as a learning opportunity. It is common for people to reflect on their failures to improve future performances, which aligns with the saying '失之东隅，收之桑榆' (losing in one area can lead to gains in another).
📜Proverb
The proverb '不怕失败，怕的是不敢尝试' translates to 'Do not fear failure, but fear not trying.' This reflects the cultural attitude toward challenges and overcoming defeat.
Word Family of 败
Words Containing This Character20
失败shībàito lose失敗
打败dǎbàito defeat打敗
败bàito defeat敗
击败to defeat擊敗
腐败fǔbàicorruption腐敗
失败者loser失敗者
成败success or failure成敗
反腐败to oppose corruption反腐敗
挫败to thwart挫敗
惨败to suffer a crushing defeat慘敗
败类degenerate敗類
败坏bàihuàito ruin敗壞
战败to lose a war戰敗
落败to fail落敗
败诉lose a lawsuit敗訴
一败涂地a crushing defeat一敗塗地
败露(of a plot etc) to fall through and stand exposed敗露
大败to defeat大敗
气急败坏flustered and exasperated氣急敗壞
败血症septicaemia敗血症
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 失败 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 败
Some synonyms for 败 (bài) include 输 (shū), which means to lose, and 失败 (shībài), which means failure. Both terms can be used interchangeably in contexts involving loss or defeat.
Yes, 败 (bài) is used in several idiomatic expressions, such as 败走麦城 (bài zǒu mài chéng), which means 'to retreat in defeat.' Understanding these idioms can help learners grasp the nuances of defeat in Chinese culture.
败 (bài) means to defeat, to lose (to an opponent), or to fail. It can also imply damage or withering in certain contexts. This character is commonly used in competitive scenarios, such as sports or games, as well as in discussions about failure.
You can use 败 (bài) in a sentence like '我在比赛中败给了他' (Wǒ zài bǐsài zhōng bài gěi le tā), which means 'I was defeated by him in the competition.' This demonstrates its use in expressing defeat or loss.
You can say '他在比赛中败了' (He was defeated in the competition).
No, 败 inherently conveys a negative outcome, such as losing or failing.
Synonyms include 失败 (shībài) for failure and 战败 (zhànbài) for military defeat.
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