夺标 (duó biāo) — to win first prize (in a competition); to win a bid or contract (in business)

Definition

Literally 'seize the prize/banner' — means to win first place in a competition, or to win a business bid or contract.

verb
to win first prize (in a competition)to win a bid or contract (in business)

Examples

  • 夺标。
    Tā zài zhè cì bǐ sài zhōng chéng gōng duó biāo.
    He successfully won first prize in this competition.
  • 夺标，。
    Wǒ men gōng sī zhōng yú duó biāo, ná dào le zhè ge xiàng mù.
    Our company finally won the bid and got this project.
  • ，。
    Tā men qù nián duó guò biāo, dàn zhè cì méi yǒu.
    They won the bid last year, but not this time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

夺duóseize
标biāoprize

夺 means seize and 标 means prize, so the word means winning first prize.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 奪; 夺 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 奪 includes 又 (a hand), 雀 (a bird), and 衣 (clothing), showing a hand seizing a bird from someone; the simplified 夺 is a later abbreviation.

Open 夺 →

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 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào標biāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

Open 标 →

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