HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
competition
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
match
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
to surpass
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
better than
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
superior to
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
to excel
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
赛
sài
to compete, to contend; contest, race
HSK 7, nz, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #1333, Hard
sài(sai4) T4
1to compete
2competition
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March 24, 2026
赛(賽)sài(sai4)
The character 赛 (sài) primarily means 'to compete' or 'competition,' and is commonly used in contexts such as sports events, contests, or any situations where individuals or groups contend for superiority. It can also imply surpassing someone or something in a specific area, emphasizing excellence or superiority.
Strokes14Radical贝Frequency#1333DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, competitions such as sports events and exams are highly emphasized, reflecting the value placed on achievement and excellence. The concept of competing is woven into various aspects of life, from education to business.
Memory Tip
Think of 赛 as a race where two competitors are running side by side, each trying to outdo the other. The left side of the character resembles a person running, while the right side hints at the idea of a trophy or a prize, symbolizing the competition to win.
Meanings of 赛
sài(sai4)
1to compete
2competition
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 赛
赛Simplified
賽Traditional
14Strokes
贝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1333Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 赛
Podcast: 赛
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AI Study Notes for 赛
Quick Contrast
竞 (jìng) - use 赛 (sài) when referring specifically to competitive events or contests, while 竞 (jìng) can imply competition in a broader sense, including rivalry without a formal event context.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 赛 as a race where two competitors are running side by side, each trying to outdo the other. The left side of the character resembles a person running, while the right side hints at the idea of a trophy or a prize, symbolizing the competition to win.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 赛 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, such as 塞 (sāi), which means 'to plug' or 'to stuff.' 赛 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in sports, so it's useful in everyday conversation as well as in competitive settings.
HSK Study Tips
Although 赛 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other words related to competition and sports, such as 比 (bǐ, to compare) and 争 (zhēng, to strive or contest). Focus on its use in phrases like 赛跑 (sàipǎo, running race) to build your vocabulary around this theme.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, competitions such as sports events and exams are highly emphasized, reflecting the value placed on achievement and excellence. The concept of competing is woven into various aspects of life, from education to business.
Common Mistakes
Learners may incorrectly use 赛 in contexts where it doesn't apply, such as using it for non-competitive scenarios. For example, saying '我赛她的工作' (Wǒ sài tā de gōngzuò) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我和她竞争工作' (Wǒ hé tā jìngzhēng gōngzuò) meaning 'I compete with her for the job.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赛
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六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Simplified form of 賽. Phonosemantic compound. 貝 represents the meaning and 塞 represents the sound. 貝 (shell) depicts the prize for a competition - shells were used as currency in ancient China.
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Grammar Patterns of 赛
赛 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The goal that decided the match came just before the interval.
10
比赛形势决定了他们要打防守战而不是进攻战。
bǐ sài xíng shì jué dìng le tā mén yào dǎ fáng shǒu zhàn ér bù shì jìn gōng zhàn。
Circumstances dictated that they played a defensive rather than attacking game.
Cultural Notes for 赛
💡Did you know?
In ancient China, competitions were held not only in sports but also in poetry and music, showcasing the value placed on skills and talents. This tradition continues today with various competitive events in arts and sports.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, competitions such as sports events and exams are highly emphasized, reflecting the value placed on achievement and excellence. The concept of competing is woven into various aspects of life, from education to business.
Word Family of 赛
Words Containing This Character20
比赛bǐsàimatch比賽
赛sàimatch賽
决赛juésàifinals (of a competition)決賽
联赛liánsài(sports) league聯賽
赛季season (sports)賽季
参赛cānsàito compete參賽
竞赛jìngsàirace競賽
赛车sàichēauto race賽車
赛事competition (e.g. sporting)賽事
锦标赛championships錦標賽
赛场sàichǎngracetrack賽場
公开赛championship公開賽
世锦赛world championship世錦賽
半决赛bànjuésàisemifinals半決賽
赛马horse race賽馬
总决赛finals (sports)總決賽
参赛者competitor參賽者
球赛sports match球賽
赛程competition schedule賽程
马赛Marseille, city in south France馬賽
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 比赛 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 赛
To remember the character 赛 (sài), you can associate it with sports and competitions, as it is frequently used in those contexts. Visualizing a race or a match can help reinforce its meaning. Additionally, breaking down the character into its components might also aid in memorization.
While both 赛 (sài) and 竞争 (jìngzhēng) relate to competition, 赛 is often used for specific matches or contests, like sports events, whereas 竞争 refers more broadly to competition in various contexts, such as business or academics. Understanding this distinction can help you use these terms appropriately depending on the situation.
You can use 赛 (sài) in sentences to describe competitions or matches. For example, '我们明天有一场足球赛' means 'We have a soccer match tomorrow.' Additionally, you can use it to express surpassing someone, like '他在比赛中赛过了所有的对手' which means 'He surpassed all his opponents in the competition.'
赛 (sài) means 'to compete' or 'competition.' It can refer to any kind of match or contest, and it also conveys the idea of surpassing or being better than someone or something. This character is commonly used in contexts related to sports and competitive events.
You can say, '我们下周末有一个足球赛' (Wǒmen xià zhōumò yǒu yīgè zúqiú sài), meaning 'We have a soccer match next weekend.'
No, 赛 can be used for various types of competitions, including academic contests and games, not just sports.
Synonyms include 竞争 (jìngzhēng, to compete) and 比赛 (bǐsài, competition or match).
