联赛

• Pinyin: lián sài
• Hanzi breakdown: 联 = 耳 (ear) + 关, connected/series; 赛 = 宀 + 贝 + etc., competition

Meaning

League competition; a series of matches in which teams play against each other over a season.

Standard term for professional sports leagues. Common examples: 中超联赛 (Chinese Super League), 英超联赛 (English Premier League), 美职篮联赛/NBA. Differs from 杯赛 (cup tournament) which is knockout format.

Examples

1. 今年的足球联赛竞争激烈，冠军归属直到最后一轮才揭晓。 This year's football league competition was fierce; the champion wasn't determined until the final round.
2. 他在联赛中表现出色，被评为本赛季最佳球员。 He performed excellently in the league and was named the season's best player.
3. 因为疫情，这个赛季的联赛推迟了两个月才开始。 Due to the pandemic, this season's league was delayed by two months before starting.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competition, news

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 联赛什么时候开始？(When does the league start?)
• 他们队在联赛中排名第一。(Their team is ranked first in the league.)

Don't Say

• 把联赛和杯赛混淆 (联赛 is round-robin over a season; 杯赛 is typically knockout format)

Origin & History

Compound of 联 (connect/series) + 赛 (competition). Describes a connected series of competitive matches.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal