胜利

• Pinyin: shèng lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 胜 = simplified from 勝, meaning to win; 利 = 禾 (grain) + 刂(knife), meaning sharp or beneficial — harvesting grain brings benefit

Meaning

Victory; triumph; to be victorious. A successful outcome in a competition, battle, or struggle.

Used both as a noun (取得胜利 = achieve victory) and as a verb (胜利了 = was victorious). Common in sports, military history, political discourse, and daily competition. More emphatic than simply 赢 (to win). Carries a sense of achievement and celebration. Opposite: 失败 (failure/defeat).

Examples

1. 经过三个小时的比赛，我们终于取得了胜利。 After a three-hour match, we finally achieved victory.
2. 这次胜利让全队都非常兴奋。 This victory made the whole team extremely excited.
3. 只要坚持努力，胜利一定属于你。 As long as you keep working hard, victory will surely be yours.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competition, history, motivation

Tone: triumphant

Do Say

• 让我们一起庆祝这次胜利！(Let's celebrate this victory together!)
• 胜利属于不放弃的人。(Victory belongs to those who never give up.)

Don't Say

• 我考试胜利了。(For passing exams, say 通过了 or 考好了, not 胜利. 胜利 implies competition against opponents, not passing a test.)

Origin & History

胜 means to win or triumph; 利 means benefit or advantage. Together: the benefit of winning — victory.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal