溃败 (kuì bài) — to be utterly defeated, to collapse (of an army, team, or organization); to fester (of a wound)

Definition

A formal/literary verb meaning 'to be utterly routed' (army, team, organization) or 'to fester' (wound). Much more dramatic than 失败 — it implies total collapse, not just losing.

verb
to be utterly defeatedto collapse (of an army, team, or organization)to fester (of a wound)

Examples

  • 溃败。
    Dí jūn zài sān tiān nèi chè dǐ kuì bài le.
    The enemy army was completely routed within three days.
  • ，溃败。
    Yóu yú guǎn lǐ bú shàn, zhè jiā gōng sī zuì zhōng kuì bài kuǎ tái.
    Due to poor management, this company eventually collapsed.
  • ，溃败。
    Shāng kǒu rú guǒ bù qīng xǐ xiāo dú, róng yì kuì bài.
    If the wound is not cleaned and disinfected, it tends to fester.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

溃kuìcollapse
败bàidefeat

溃 and 败 both suggest collapse or defeat, together meaning to be routed or to fester.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 潰; 溃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
貴
貴guì潰kuì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 潰 pairs 氵 (water) with 貴 for sound; the simplified 溃 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 溃 →

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 →

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