thua trận
Definition
- Verb phrase:
- To lose a battle: To be defeated in a specific military engagement or fight.
- To be defeated: More broadly, it can describe suffering a loss in any competitive or confrontational situation, analogous to a battle.
Usage Examples
- Verb phrase:
- Đội quân ấy đã thua trận và rút lui. (That army lost the battle and retreated.)
- Dù đã cố gắng hết sức, đội bóng của chúng tôi vẫn thua trận. (Even though we tried our best, our soccer team still lost the match [was defeated].)
- Thua trận nhưng không thua chí. (To lose a battle but not lose one's will.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be used metaphorically outside of military contexts to describe a significant failure or loss in areas like business, sports, or personal struggles.
- Công ty đó thua trận trong cuộc chiến thị phần. (That company lost the battle in the market share war.)
Variants and Related Words
Thua cuộc (verb phrase): to lose a game, contest, or competition.
- Anh ấy thua cuộc trong cuộc thi hùng biện. (He lost the oratory contest.)
Chiến bại (noun): a defeat, a loss (in war or competition).
- Chiến bại đó là một bài học đắt giá. (That defeat was a costly lesson.)
Synonyms
- Be defeated: To be overcome in a battle or contest.
- Lose: To fail to win.
- Suffer a defeat: To experience a loss.
Related Idioms
- Thua trận nhưng không thua người: To lose the battle but not lose face or dignity; to be defeated but not disgraced.
- Họ rút lui trong trật tự, thua trận nhưng không thua người. (They retreated in order, losing the battle but not their honor.)