‘打败’ (dǎ bài) is a transitive verb meaning ‘to defeat’ or ‘to beat’—typically in competition, conflict, or struggle. It combines 打 (dǎ), which literally means ‘to hit’ or ‘to strike’, and 败 (bài), meaning ‘to lose’ or ‘defeat’. Together, they convey the idea of causing an opponent to lose, emphasizing decisive victory rather than mere superiority. It’s commonly used in sports, military contexts, games, debates, and even metaphorical challenges like overcoming illness or fear.

The word implies agency and intention: someone actively defeats someone or something else. It usually takes a direct object (e.g., 打败对手, 打败敌人), and cannot be used reflexively without clarification. Unlike more formal synonyms like 击败, 打败 is neutral in register—common in both spoken and written Chinese—and often appears in news reports, storytelling, and everyday conversation when describing clear outcomes of contests or struggles.