====== yíng: 赢 - to Win, to Gain, to Profit ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** 赢, 赢 pinyin, yíng, ying character, how to say win in Chinese, Chinese word for win, Chinese for profit, to beat in Chinese, Chinese character for win, ying Chinese meaning, 赢了 (yíng le), 输 (shū)
  * **Summary:** Learn the Chinese word for "win," **赢 (yíng)**. This comprehensive guide explores the deep meaning of the character **赢**, showing how it's used in sports, business, and daily conversation. Discover why understanding **yíng** is not just about victory, but about a mindset of strategic success that is central to Chinese culture. This page will teach you how to use **赢** correctly, from winning a simple game to gaining profit or respect.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yíng
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4
  * **Concise Definition:** To win a game or contest; to gain a profit or an advantage.
  * **In a Nutshell:** **赢 (yíng)** is the primary Chinese verb for "to win." It's used in any situation where there is a competition, from a soccer match or a game of chess to a business negotiation or even a friendly argument. Beyond a simple victory, it carries a sense of gaining something positive, whether it's money, a prize, or an intangible advantage like trust or time. If you want to talk about coming out on top, **赢 (yíng)** is the word you need.
===== Character Breakdown =====
The simplified character **赢** is a modern consolidation of the much more descriptive traditional character, **贏**. Understanding the components of the traditional form provides a fascinating insight into the Chinese concept of what it takes to win.
The traditional character **贏** is a compound of five distinct elements, each representing a quality needed for victory:
  * **亡 (wáng):** Awareness of crisis or danger. To win, you must first understand the risk of losing.
  * **口 (kǒu):** Mouth; communication. Victory requires effective communication, strategy, and negotiation.
  * **月 (yuè):** Moon; time. Winning takes time, patience, and persistence. It's not always a quick fight.
  * **贝 (bèi):** Shell; money/valuables. Success requires resources, capital, and tangible assets.
  * **凡 (fán):** Ordinary; common. This represents the need for a calm, steady, and grounded mindset (平常心 - píngchángxīn), even in the heat of competition.
Together, these components paint a picture of winning not as a single act of force, but as a holistic strategy. To truly **赢 (yíng)**, one needs a sense of urgency, clear communication, patience, sufficient resources, and a level head.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The character **赢 (yíng)** encapsulates a philosophy of success that is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. While Western culture might sometimes celebrate the "lone wolf" or "brute force" victory, the components of **赢** suggest a more strategic and balanced approach, reminiscent of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War."
The key takeaway is that winning is a multi-faceted endeavor. It's not just about being the strongest (**力 lì**) or fastest (**快 kuài**). It's about being the most prepared. This contrasts with the more direct American concept of "winning," which can sometimes imply a "win-at-all-costs" mentality. The Chinese concept of **赢** suggests that a sustainable victory is achieved through careful management of time (月), resources (贝), communication (口), and psychology (亡 and 凡). This mindset is applied everywhere, from raising a child and running a business to national strategy. Winning is a science and an art, not just a result.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**赢 (yíng)** is a common and versatile word used in many modern contexts.
==== In Competitions and Games ====
This is the most direct usage. It's used for sports, video games, board games, gambling, and any activity with a clear winner and loser. The structure **赢了 (yíng le)** is extremely common to state that someone has won.
  * `中国队赢了！(Zhōngguó duì yíng le!)` - The Chinese team won!
==== In Business and Finance ====
**赢** is used to mean "to make a profit" or "to gain a commercial advantage."
  * `我们赢得了这个合同。(Wǒmen yíngdéle zhège hétong.)` - We won this contract.
  * The term **盈利 (yínglì)** specifically means "profit" or "to make a profit."
==== In Arguments and Debates ====
You can "win" an argument, though it's often used humorously or informally.
  * `别跟他吵，你赢不了。(Bié gēn tā chǎo, nǐ yíng bùliǎo.)` - Don't argue with him, you can't win.
==== In Abstract or Figurative Senses ====
The compound **赢得 (yíngdé)** is often used when "winning" something intangible.
  * `他赢得了大家的尊重。(Tā yíngdéle dàjiā de zūnzhòng.)` - He won everyone's respect.
  * `她赢得了观众的掌声。(Tā yíngdéle guānzhòng de zhǎngshēng.)` - She won the audience's applause.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我们队**赢**了比赛。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen duì **yíng** le bǐsài.
    * English: Our team won the game.
    * Analysis: A classic, simple example of using **赢** for a competition. The particle `了 (le)` indicates the completed action.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 你觉得哪匹马会**赢**？
    * Pinyin: Nǐ juéde nǎ pǐ mǎ huì **yíng**?
    * English: Which horse do you think will win?
    * Analysis: Here, **赢** is used to ask about a future outcome. `会 (huì)` indicates future possibility.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 他靠赌博**赢**了很多钱。
    * Pinyin: Tā kào dǔbó **yíng** le hěn duō qián.
    * English: He won a lot of money by gambling.
    * Analysis: This shows **赢** used with money in a context of chance/risk, which is correct. Contrast this with `赚钱 (zhuànqián)`, earning money from work.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 这家公司去年的**赢**利很高。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī qùnián de **yíng**lì hěn gāo.
    * English: This company's profit last year was very high.
    * Analysis: Using the compound word **盈利 (yínglì)**, which specifically means "profit." Here, it functions as a noun.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 他的诚实为他**赢**得了信任。
    * Pinyin: Tā de chéngshí wèi tā **yíng**dé le xìnrèn.
    * English: His honesty won him trust.
    * Analysis: Demonstrates the use of **赢得 (yíngdé)** for gaining abstract things like `信任 (xìnrèn)`, or trust.
  * **Example 6:**
    * 你是赢不了我的，放弃吧！
    * Pinyin: Nǐ shì **yíng** bùliǎo wǒ de, fàngqì ba!
    * English: You can't win against me, just give up!
    * Analysis: The structure `赢不了 (yíng bùliǎo)` means "cannot win" or "unable to win." It's a very common potential complement.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 在商业世界里，不是你**赢**就是我输。
    * Pinyin: Zài shāngyè shìjiè lǐ, búshì nǐ **yíng** jiùshì wǒ shū.
    * English: In the business world, it's either you win or I lose.
    * Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts **赢 (yíng)** with its antonym, **输 (shū)**, to describe a zero-sum situation.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 我们必须**打赢**这场仗。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū **dǎyíng** zhè chǎng zhàng.
    * English: We must win this battle.
    * Analysis: **打赢 (dǎyíng)** is a resultative verb. `打 (dǎ)` means "to fight," and `赢 (yíng)` is the successful result. It literally means "to fight and win."
  * **Example 9:**
    * 祝贺你**赢**得冠军！
    * Pinyin: Zhùhè nǐ **yíng**dé guànjūn!
    * English: Congratulations on winning the championship!
    * Analysis: A common celebratory phrase. `冠军 (guànjūn)` means champion or first prize.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 只要我们团结，就一定能**赢**。
    * Pinyin: Zhǐyào wǒmen tuánjié, jiù yīdìng néng **yíng**.
    * English: As long as we are united, we can definitely win.
    * Analysis: This shows **赢** in a conditional sentence, expressing confidence in a future victory based on a condition (`团结 - tuánjié`, to be united).
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **赢 (yíng) vs. 成功 (chénggōng) - Winning vs. Succeeding:**
    * A common mistake for learners is to use **赢** for any kind of success. **赢** implies a direct competition against an opponent or obstacle. **成功 (chénggōng)** means "to succeed" in a broader sense.
    * **Incorrect:** `我在我的事业上赢了。` (Wǒ zài wǒ de shìyè shàng yíng le.)
    * **Correct:** `我的事业很成功。` (Wǒ de shìyè hěn chénggōng.) - My career is very successful.
    * You **赢 (yíng)** a match, but you **成功 (chénggōng)** in your career.
  * **赢钱 (yíng qián) vs. 赚钱 (zhuàn qián) - Winning Money vs. Earning Money:**
    * This is a critical distinction. You only **赢钱 (yíng qián)** through gambling, lotteries, or contests. You **赚钱 (zhuàn qián)** through work, labor, or investment returns. Using **赢** for your salary is a major mistake.
    * **Incorrect:** `我每个月工作赢三千块钱。` (Wǒ měi ge yuè gōngzuò yíng sānqiān kuài qián.)
    * **Correct:** `我每个月工作赚三千块钱。` (Wǒ měi ge yuè gōngzuò zhuàn sānqiān kuài qián.) - I earn 3,000 yuan a month from my job.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * `[[输]] (shū)` - The direct antonym of **赢**. It means "to lose."
  * `[[胜利]] (shènglì)` - A more formal noun meaning "victory." While `赢了 (yíng le)` means "won," `取得了胜利 (qǔdéle shènglì)` means "achieved victory."
  * `[[赢得]] (yíngdé)` - A verb meaning to win or gain something abstract, like respect (尊重), trust (信任), or time (时间).
  * `[[打赢]] (dǎyíng)` - A resultative complement meaning "to win a fight/battle/lawsuit." It emphasizes overcoming through a struggle.
  * `[[盈利]] (yínglì)` - A specific term for "profit" or "to make a profit" in a business context.
  * `[[赢家]] (yíngjiā)` - Noun, "the winner." The person or party that wins.
  * `[[成功]] (chénggōng)` - A related but broader concept meaning "to succeed" or "success." All wins can be considered successes, but not all successes are wins.
  * `[[赚钱]] (zhuànqián)` - To earn money (through work). Differentiated from **赢钱 (yíng qián)**, which is to win money (through chance).