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反败为胜 (fǎn bài wéi shèng) — to turn defeat into victory; to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat

Definition

A chengyu meaning to turn a losing situation around and win. Used for a dramatic late reversal in competition, business, or other struggles, not small wins.

idiom
to turn defeat into victoryto snatch victory from the jaws of defeat

Examples

  • 反败为胜，。
    Zhè zhī qiú duì zài zuì hòu wǔ fēn zhōng fǎn bài wéi shèng, yíng dé le bǐ sài.
    This team turned defeat into victory in the last five minutes and won the game.
  • 反败为胜，。
    Gōng sī tōng guò chuàng xīn chǎn pǐn fǎn bài wéi shèng, chóng xīn zhàn lǐng shì chǎng.
    The company turned defeat into victory through innovative products and recaptured the market.
  • 反败为胜，。
    Tā zài qí jú zhōng fǎn bài wéi shèng, ràng duì shǒu dà chī yì jīng.
    He turned defeat into victory in the chess game, surprising his opponent greatly.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng反fǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

反 uses 又 (hand) for meaning and 厂 for sound. Its original shape showed a hand turning its palm over, giving the sense of return or reverse.

Open 反 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 敗; 败 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūstrike
Sound part声符shēngfú
貝
貝bèi敗bài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 敗 has 貝 as the sound component and 攴 (written 攵) meaning strike. The simplified 败 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original components.

Open 败 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng胜shèng
Same sound today

The simplified 胜 changes the traditional 勝 by replacing part of its sound side with 生; the left 肉 relates to meat.

Open 胜 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesSuccess & Failure

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