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Chinese/Dictionary entry

成王败寇

chéng wáng bài kòudictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
see 成則為王，敗則為寇|成则为王，败则为寇[chéng zé wéi wáng , bài zé wéi kòu]
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-259a5940d8fede14. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

成王敗寇 成王败寇 [cheng2 wang2 bai4 kou4] /see 成則為王，敗則為寇|成则为王，败则为寇[cheng2 ze2 wei2 wang2 , bai4 ze2 wei2 kou4]/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 成王敗寇

  • 成
    chéng

    to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

    Chéng

    surname Cheng / short name for Chengdu 成都[Chéng dū]

  • 王
    wáng

    king or monarch / best or strongest of its type / grand / great

    wàng

    (literary) (of a monarch) to reign over (a kingdom)

    Wáng

    surname Wang

  • 败
    bài

    to defeat / to damage / to lose (to an opponent) / to fail / to wither

  • 寇
    kòu

    to invade / to plunder / bandit / foe / enemy

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.