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打败 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
打败dǎbàito defeatHSK 4, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #2000, Medium
打败dǎbàito overpowerHSK 4, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #2000, Medium
打败dǎbàito beatHSK 4, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #2000, Medium
打败dǎbàito be defeatedHSK 4, unknown, 13 strokes, rank #2000, Medium
dǎbài(da3bai4)da bai T3
  1. 1to defeat
  2. 2to overpower
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March 24, 2026

打败(打敗)dǎbài(da3bai4)

打败 means to defeat or overpower an opponent, often used in competitive contexts such as sports, games, or debates. It implies not just winning, but doing so decisively, showcasing strength or skill over the other party.

Strokes13Frequency#2000DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of defeating an opponent is often celebrated in traditional stories and modern media, reflecting the value placed on strength and skill in both personal and communal contexts, such as martial arts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a warrior (打) wielding a sword (败) that strikes down their enemy. The action of striking (打) leads to the enemy's defeat (败), linking the form of the characters to the meaning of overcoming challenges.

Meanings of 打败

dǎbài(da3bai4)
1to defeat
2to overpower
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About 打败

打败Simplified
打敗Traditional
13Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 打败

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Podcast: 打败

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AI Study Notes for 打败

Quick Contrast

击败 (jībài) - use 打败 when emphasizing a decisive victory or show of strength, while 击败 can imply simply defeating someone without the same connotation of decisiveness.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the contexts in which you use 打败; it is often used in competitive settings rather than in everyday disputes. Avoid using it in overly formal situations, as it can sound too aggressive. Typical collocations include 打败敌人 (defeat the enemy) and 打败对手 (defeat the opponent).

HSK Study Tips

打败 is a useful verb for HSK Level 3 learners as it connects with other action verbs like 打 (to hit) and 胜 (to win). Focus on using it in sentences where you describe competitions or challenges to strengthen your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 打败 with 赢 (to win), using them interchangeably; for example, saying '我打败了比赛' (I defeated the match) instead of '我赢得了比赛' (I won the match). Make sure to use 打败 specifically for defeating opponents.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 打败

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Component Characters

打dǎto beat
HSK 25 strokes扌
View full entry
败bàito defeat
HSK 68 strokes贝
View full entry

How to say to defeat in Chinese

“to defeat” in Chinese is打败dǎbài

打败 means to defeat or overpower an opponent, often used in competitive contexts such as sports, games, or debates. It implies not just winning, but doing so decisively, showcasing strength or skill over the other party.

When to use 打败

Be mindful of the contexts in which you use 打败; it is often used in competitive settings rather than in everyday disputes. Avoid using it in overly formal situations, as it can sound too aggressive. Typical collocations include 打败敌人 (defeat the enemy) and 打败对手 (defeat the opponent).

打败 or something close to it

击败 (jībài) - use 打败 when emphasizing a decisive victory or show of strength, while 击败 can imply simply defeating someone without the same connotation of decisiveness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 打败 with 赢 (to win), using them interchangeably; for example, saying '我打败了比赛' (I defeated the match) instead of '我赢得了比赛' (I won the match). Make sure to use 打败 specifically for defeating opponents.

Write 打败

打
败

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Frequently Asked Questions about 打败

Generally, 打败 is reserved for competitive contexts; use 败 alone for more neutral situations.

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