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失利 (shī lì) — to lose, to suffer defeat

Definition

失利 is a formal verb for 'to suffer defeat' in a contest, match, or competition. Unlike the general 失败 ('to fail'), it is used almost exclusively for competitive outcomes where one side wins and the other loses.

verb
to loseto suffer defeat

Examples

  • 失利。
    Tā men zài jué sài zhōng shī lì le.
    They lost in the finals.
  • 失利。
    Zhè cì tóu zī shī lì ràng tā men sǔn shī le hěn duō qián.
    This investment loss caused them to lose a lot of money.
  • ，失利。
    Yóu yú zhàn shù shī wù, jūn duì shī lì le.
    Due to tactical mistakes, the army suffered defeat.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

失shīlose
利lìadvantage

失 (lose) and 利 (advantage) together mean suffer defeat.

Characters in this word

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

The shape is explained as a fallen person's footprint surrounded by drops of blood; another reading pairs 手 (hand) and 乙 to show something falling from a hand.

Open 失 →

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

利 combines 禾 (grain) and 刀 (knife), showing a knife used to cut grain.

Open 利 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Success & Failure

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