赛跑

• Pinyin: sài pǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 赛 = competitive event; 跑 = 足 (foot) + 包 (to wrap, energetic motion) = to run

Meaning

To race on foot; a running race. Describes the act of competing in a footrace or sprinting event.

Used both literally (track and field events, school sports days) and figuratively (赛跑式竞争 — a race-like competition, 与时间赛跑 — racing against time). The compound 与时间赛跑 is an established idiom used in urgent or high-pressure situations. More dynamic and competitive in connotation than 跑步 (jogging).

Examples

1. 运动会上，同学们在百米赛跑中奋力冲刺，场边的观众爆发出阵阵热烈的掌声与呼喊声。 At the sports meet, students sprinted with all their might in the 100-meter race, and the crowd erupted in waves of loud applause and cheers.
2. 救援队与时间赛跑，争分夺秒地在废墟中搜寻幸存者，不放过任何一丝获救的可能。 The rescue team raced against time, searching the rubble minute by minute for survivors and not letting any chance of rescue slip by.
3. 他在大学期间积极参加田径训练，凭借出色的短跑成绩代表学校参加了多项省级赛跑比赛。 In college, he actively trained in track and field, and with his strong sprinting results he represented the school in several provincial-level races.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, athletics, urgency, competition

Tone: energetic

Do Say

• 抗洪救灾期间，工程队与时间赛跑，昼夜不停地加固堤坝，终于在洪峰到来前完成了关键的防护工程。(During flood relief efforts, the engineering team raced against time, reinforcing the embankments around the clock and completing the critical protective works before the flood peak arrived.)
• 学校运动会的赛跑项目不仅考验学生的体能，也培养了他们的竞争意识和团队合作精神。(The running events at the school sports day test not only students' physical fitness but also develop their competitive awareness and team spirit.)

Don't Say

• 我每天早上赛跑 — 赛跑 implies a competitive race against others; for solo jogging, use 跑步 or 晨跑

Origin & History

赛 (competition — a ritual contest with equal stakes) + 跑 (to run — 足 foot + 包 to wrap/envelop = the foot moving in a wrapped/energetic motion)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal