赛

• Pinyin: sài
• Hanzi breakdown: 赛 = 宀 (roof) + 贝 (shell/money) — originally related to offerings, now meaning competition

Meaning

To compete; to race; competition. The act of contesting against others in a match or race.

Used both as a verb (to compete) and as part of compound nouns for various competitions. Common terms include 比赛 (competition), 赛车 (racing), 决赛 (finals), and 赛季 (season). Can also be used colloquially to mean 'as good as' or 'rivaling' something.

Examples

1. 他们队在上半场赛出了最佳水平。 Their team performed at their best in the first half.
2. 这个周末有一场重要的足球赛。 There's an important soccer match this weekend.
3. 她赛跑的时候扭伤了脚踝。 She sprained her ankle while racing.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competition, games

Tone: energetic

Do Say

• 明天的比赛加油！(Good luck in tomorrow's match!)
• 这场赛太精彩了。(This competition was amazing.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'我赛你' (Don't say 我赛你 to mean 'I compete with you' — say 我跟你比赛 or 我和你比)

Origin & History

Originally related to religious sacrifice and offerings, the meaning evolved to include competitive offerings or comparisons, eventually coming to mean competition.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal