失败 (shībài)

失败 describes the outcome of not achieving a goal, or the act of failing. It is used both as a noun meaning "failure" and as a verb meaning "to fail" or "to be defeated."

Meanings

n failure, defeat
v to fail, to be defeated

Example Sentences

失败是成功之母。 Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ. Failure is the mother of success.

他们在比赛中失败了，但没有放弃。 Tāmen zài bǐsài zhōng shībài le, dàn méiyǒu fàngqì. They failed in the competition but did not give up.

这次实验的失败让科学家们获得了宝贵的经验。 Zhè cì shíyàn de shībài ràng kēxuéjiāmen huòdé le bǎoguì de jīngyàn. The failure of this experiment gave scientists valuable experience.

我们要从失败中学习，不断成长。 Wǒmen yào cóng shībài zhōng xuéxí, bùduàn chéngzhǎng. We must learn from failure and keep growing.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
走向失败 (zǒuxiàng shībài)	to head toward failure
失败的经验 (shībài de jīngyàn)	experience of failure
彻底失败 (chèdǐ shībài)	to fail completely
不怕失败 (bù pà shībài)	not afraid of failure

Usage Notes

失败 is the antonym of 成功 (chénggōng, success). When used as a verb it does not take an object; say 他失败了 (he failed) rather than 他失败了比赛. To express defeat in a contest, 输 (shū) is more natural.

Memory Hook

失 means "to lose" and 败 means "to be beaten" — double loss equals total failure.