Meaning and Usage
The character 败 (bài) primarily means 'to be defeated' or 'to fail.' It is commonly used in contexts involving losing competitions, battles, or plans that do not succeed.
Common Collocations
- 惨败 (cǎnbài): crushing defeat, emphasizes the severity of losing.
- 失败 (shībài): failure, often used for plans, attempts, or efforts.
- 败北 (bàiběi): military defeat, more formal or literary.
Usage Notes
败 is often used in both literal and figurative senses. For example, it can describe losing a game or failing a project. It is a neutral to slightly formal word and appears frequently in news reports and formal speech.
Common Confusions
Don't confuse 败 with 输 (shū), which also means 'to lose' but is more commonly used in everyday speech for games or matches. 败 often carries a stronger or more formal tone.
Summary
Use 败 when emphasizing defeat or failure, especially in formal or written contexts. Pair it with words like 惨 (severe) or 失败 (failure) to express different nuances of losing or failing.