jī bài: 击败 - To Defeat, To Beat, To Vanquish

• Keywords: 击败, jī bài, how to say defeat in Chinese, beat an opponent in Chinese, Chinese verb for vanquish, 击败 vs 打败, jī bài meaning, Chinese for sports victory, to beat in a game Chinese
• Summary: Learn how to use the powerful Chinese verb 击败 (jī bài), which means “to defeat,” “to beat,” or “to vanquish.” This comprehensive guide covers its core meaning, cultural context, and practical usage in everything from sports and video games to business competition. Discover the subtle differences between 击败 (jī bài), 打败 (dǎ bài), and 赢 (yíng) to speak and write more accurately, with over 10 example sentences to master its use.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jī bài
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To defeat, beat, or vanquish an opponent or competitor.
• In a Nutshell: 击败 (jī bài) is a direct and strong verb used when one party overcomes another in a competition, conflict, or challenge. It focuses on the action of causing someone else's loss. Think of it as the go-to word for describing a clear victory in sports, battles, or even overcoming a major obstacle like an illness. It has a slightly more formal or impactful feel than just saying you “won.”

• 击 (jī): This character means “to hit,” “to strike,” or “to attack.” The radical on the left, 扌 (shǒu), is the “hand” radical, clearly indicating an action performed with the hands.
• 败 (bài): This character means “to be defeated,” “to lose,” or “to fail.” It's composed of 贝 (bèi), the “shell” radical (historically used for money), and 攴 (pū), which means to tap or rap. One way to remember it is as having one's valuables (贝) broken or taken (攴), leading to defeat.
• When combined, 击败 (jī bài) literally means “to strike into defeat.” This structure makes it a clear action verb: you are actively striking an opponent, causing them to be in a state of defeat.

While 击败 (jī bài) is a straightforward term, its usage reflects cultural attitudes towards competition. In Chinese culture, from ancient military strategy like Sun Tzu's “The Art of War” (《孙子兵法》) to the modern high-stakes gaokao (college entrance exam), the concept of overcoming a rival is central. 击败 is often used in narratives of national pride, such as describing Chinese athletes defeating international competitors in the Olympics. It carries a sense of finality and clear superiority in a given contest. Compared to the English “to defeat,” 击败 can sometimes feel more forceful, especially when compared to its more colloquial cousin, 打败 (dǎ bài). While an American might say “we defeated the other team,” which can sound neutral, using 击败 in a news headline about the same event adds a layer of impact and decisiveness—a “vanquishing” rather than just a simple win. It emphasizes not just the victory, but the opponent's loss as a direct result of one's actions.

击败 (jī bài) is a versatile verb used in various contexts, generally ranging from neutral to slightly formal.

• Sports and Games: This is the most common context. It's used constantly in sports commentary, news reports, and discussions about competitions.
  • 中国女排击败了巴西队。 (The Chinese women's volleyball team defeated the Brazilian team.)
• Business and Economics: In the corporate world, it's used to describe one company outperforming another.
  • 我们的目标是击败市场上所有的竞争对手。 (Our goal is to defeat all competitors in the market.)
• Military and Historical Contexts: This is a more formal and literal usage, referring to defeating an enemy in battle.
  • 在赤壁之战中，孙刘联军击败了曹操的军队。 (In the Battle of Red Cliffs, the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated Cao Cao's army.)
• Figurative and Abstract Usage: It can be used metaphorically to mean “overcoming” a challenge, fear, or illness.
  • 他终于击败了病魔，恢复了健康。 (He finally defeated the disease and recovered his health.)

• Example 1:
  • 我们队在决赛中击败了他们。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen duì zài juésài zhōng jī bài le tāmen.
  • English: Our team defeated them in the finals.
  • Analysis: A classic and straightforward example of using 击败 in a sports context.
• Example 2:
  • 这位年轻的棋手击败了世界冠军。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi niánqīng de qíshǒu jī bài le shìjiè guànjūn.
  • English: This young chess player defeated the world champion.
  • Analysis: Highlights a significant, almost surprising, victory. 击败 adds weight to the achievement.
• Example 3:
  • 想要击败这个对手，我们必须更加努力。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎng yào jī bài zhège duìshǒu, wǒmen bìxū gèngjiā nǔlì.
  • English: If we want to defeat this opponent, we must work even harder.
  • Analysis: Used here to state a goal or objective.
• Example 4:
  • 苹果公司凭借其创新产品击败了许多竞争者。
  • Pinyin: Píngguǒ gōngsī píngjiè qí chuàngxīn chǎnpǐn jī bài le xǔduō jìngzhēng zhě.
  • English: Apple Inc. defeated many competitors with its innovative products.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of its use in a business context.
• Example 5:
  • 他相信自己有能力击败任何困难。
  • Pinyin: Tā xiāngxìn zìjǐ yǒu nénglì jī bài rènhé kùnnan.
  • English: He believes he has the ability to overcome (defeat) any difficulty.
  • Analysis: A figurative use, treating “difficulty” as an opponent to be defeated.
• Example 6:
  • 敌军被我方彻底击败了。
  • Pinyin: Díjūn bèi wǒ fāng chèdǐ jī bài le.
  • English: The enemy army was completely defeated by our side.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the passive voice with 被 (bèi), showing that the subject (the enemy) is the one receiving the action of being defeated.
• Example 7:
  • 你能击败游戏里的最终大 बॉस (boss) 吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng jī bài yóuxì lǐ de zuìzhōng dà boss ma?
  • English: Can you defeat the final boss in the game?
  • Analysis: A very common usage among gamers in modern China.
• Example 8:
  • 历史上，以少胜多的军队常常能击败强大的敌人。
  • Pinyin: Lìshǐ shàng, yǐ shǎo shèng duō de jūnduì chángcháng néng jī bài qiángdà de dírén.
  • English: Historically, armies that win with fewer soldiers can often defeat powerful enemies.
  • Analysis: Used in a historical, analytical context.
• Example 9:
  • 他们的策略很简单，就是集中力量击败最弱的对手。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de cèlüè hěn jiǎndān, jiùshì jízhōng lìliàng jī bài zuì ruò de duìshǒu.
  • English: Their strategy is very simple: concentrate their forces to defeat the weakest opponent.
  • Analysis: Shows the term used within a discussion of strategy.
• Example 10:
  • 她用事实和逻辑击败了对方的论点。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng shìshí hé luójí jī bài le duìfāng de lùndiǎn.
  • English: She defeated the other party's argument with facts and logic.
  • Analysis: An excellent abstract example, used in the context of a debate or argument.

• 击败 (jī bài) vs. 打败 (dǎ bài):
  • These two are very close synonyms and often interchangeable. The main difference is one of tone and formality.
  • 打败 (dǎ bài) is slightly more colloquial and common in spoken language. The character 打 (dǎ) means “to hit,” so it can feel a bit more physical.
  • 击败 (jī bài) is slightly more formal and common in writing, news, and official announcements. It can sound more definitive or “epic.”
  • Mistake: Using one where the other is slightly better. It's not a major error, but for a formal report, 击败 is preferred. For a casual chat about a video game, 打败 is very common.
• 击败 (jī bài) vs. 赢 (yíng):
  • This is a crucial distinction for learners.
  • 赢 (yíng) means “to win.” It focuses on you, the subject. 我赢了 (Wǒ yíng le) - I won.
  • 击败 (jī bài) means “to defeat.” It focuses on the action you took against the opponent (the object). 我击败了他 (Wǒ jī bài le tā) - I defeated him.
  • Common Mistake: Saying 我击败了比赛 (Wǒ jī bài le bǐsài) to mean “I won the game.” This is incorrect. You don't “defeat a game”; you win a game or defeat an opponent.
  • Correct: 我赢了比赛 (Wǒ yíng le bǐsài) OR 我在比赛中击败了所有对手 (Wǒ zài bǐsài zhōng jī bài le suǒyǒu duìshǒu) - I defeated all the opponents in the game.

• 打败 (dǎ bài) - A very common synonym for “to defeat,” slightly more colloquial than 击败.
• 战胜 (zhàn shèng) - “To triumph over” or “to overcome.” More formal and often used for significant challenges like war, disease, or major difficulties.
• 赢 (yíng) - To win. The perspective of the victor, focusing on the outcome of victory itself.
• 输 (shū) - To lose. The direct opposite of 赢; the state of the one who has been defeated.
• 失败 (shī bài) - To fail; failure (noun). This is the result or state of having been defeated. 击败 is the action that causes 失败.
• 对手 (duì shǒu) - Opponent, rival. The noun for the person or entity that you aim to 击败.
• 胜利 (shènglì) - Victory, triumph (noun). The ultimate goal and result of defeating an opponent.
• 克服 (kè fú) - To overcome. Used specifically for difficulties, shortcomings, or obstacles, not typically for people. A synonym for the figurative use of 击败.
• 打倒 (dǎ dǎo) - To knock down; to overthrow. More physical and often implies completely removing a power or person from their position.