Japanese word

敗北

Pronunciation

Romajihaiboku

Meaning

  • noundefeat

Example

そのチームの敗北は皆を驚かせました。so no chī mu no hai boku wa mina o odoro ka se ma shi ta

The team's defeat surprised everyone.

Illustration for 敗北 (defeat)

More examples

監督は試合後、敗北の責任を認めました。kan toku wa shi ai go hai boku no seki nin o mito me ma shi ta

The coach acknowledged responsibility for the defeat.

Core concept

Describes the state or event in which one side fails to overcome the other in a contest, struggle, or conflict.

Common phrases

  • 敗北を認めるhai boku o mito me ru

    acknowledge defeat

  • 敗北を喫するhai boku o kis su ru

    suffer defeat

  • 敗北から学ぶhai boku ka ra mana bu

    learn from defeat

Similar words

敗戦haisen: A defeat in a war or military conflict.
敗退haitai: Elimination from a competition after losing.
惨敗zanpai: A crushing defeat by a wide margin.

Definition in Japanese

競争や戦いなどで相手に負けること。kyō sō ya tataka i na do de ai te ni ma ke ru ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese word 敗北 (haiboku) joins 敗 (hai, "defeat") with 北 (hoku, "north"). The older sense of 北 as "to flee" reflects a defeated side turning away.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses 敗北 (haiboku) as a noun, whereas English defeat serves as both a noun and a verb, so the Japanese word does not directly fill the verb slot.

Other meanings

  • lossnoun
  • setbacknoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 敗北感haibokukanfeeling of defeatnoun
  • 敗北者haibokushalosernoun
  • 敗北主義haibokushugidefeatismnoun

Word lists with this word