Hanzi Now
CharactersIdiomsChinese NameFlashcards
Tools

Visual content

  • Chinese Text Image GeneratorCreate PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
  • Stroke Order AnimatorTurn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
  • Character Highlight AnimatorChoose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
  • Chinese Text Morph AnimatorTurn one Chinese character, word or phrase into another; download SVG, MP4 or WebM

Audio content

  • Chinese Text to SpeechRead Chinese aloud with karaoke highlighting

Teaching materials

  • Writing WorksheetsPrintable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
  • Bingo CardsPicture and word Bingo for your class
  • Picture WorksheetsChinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets

Other

  • Pinyin GeneratorConvert Chinese text to pinyin with tone marks
  • Chinese Zodiac CalculatorFind your animal sign from your birth date and make a zodiac card.
  • Chinese Word CounterCount characters, words and sentences in Chinese text
View all tools →
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将
败军之将

败军之将 — “A general of a defeated army”

败军之将 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a general of a defeated army”. (figuratively) a person who has failed or been defeated, often used satirically to describe someone who has lost or been discredited. Literally, “general of a defeated army”.

Frequency

败军之将 Pronunciation and Pinyin

败军之将 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order
CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
败
bài8lose, fail, defeat, ruin
军
jūn6military, army, corps
之
zhī4possessive or connective particle
将
jiàng10about to happen, to lead

Example Sentence with 败军之将

这次的项目竞争很激烈,尽管我们尽力了,但最终还是失败了,感觉自己成了败军之将
The competition for this project was fierce; although we tried our best, we ultimately failed, and I felt like a general of a defeated army.

Origin and Story of 败军之将

During the Chu-Han Contention period, Han Xin, a general of the Han army, led his troops to attack King Xie of Zhao. King Zhao disregarded the advice of his strategist Li Zuoche, which allowed Han Xin to decisively defeat the Zhao army using the "battle with backs to a river" tactic and capture Li Zuoche.

Han Xin treated Li Zuoche with special courtesy and sought his advice on strategies for attacking Yan and Qi.

Li Zuoche modestly replied that as a general of a defeated army, he dared not speak of bravery or strategy. Han Xin became even more humble and eventually secured Li Zuoche's assistance.

Idioms Related to 败军之将

Synonyms of 败军之将

  • shǒu手xià下bài败jiàng将one's defeated opponent

Antonyms of 败军之将

  • cháng常shèng胜jiāng将jūn军ever-victorious general

More idioms starting with 败

  • bài败bù不xuán旋zhǒng踵suffer quick and immediate defeat
  • bài败shì事yǒu有yú余,,chéng成shì事bù不zú足good at spoiling, bad at succeeding
  • bài败yú于chuí垂chéng成Fail on the verge of success
  • bài败jǐng井tuí颓yuán垣ruined wells and dilapidated walls
  • bài败sú俗shāng伤huà化corrupt public morals
  • bài败sú俗shāng伤fēng风corrupt social morals and customs
  • bài败xìng兴ér而guī归return disappointed
  • bài败bīng兵zhé折jiāng将suffer heavy losses in battle
  • bài败huà化shāng伤fēng风corrupt public morals
  • bài败guó国sàng丧jiā家ruin nation and lose family
  • bài败guó国wáng亡jiā家Ruin country and destroy family
  • bài败zǐ子huí回tóu头jīn金bù不huàn换A prodigal's return is worth more than gold

Recommended tools

Character Highlight Animator

Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order

Open the tool →

Writing Worksheets

Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion

Open the tool →

Stroke Order Animator

Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4

Open the tool →

Bingo Cards

Picture and word Bingo for your class

Open the tool →

Questions about 败军之将

What does 败军之将 mean?

败军之将 (bài jūn zhī jiàng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “a general of a defeated army”.

How do you pronounce 败军之将?

败军之将 is pronounced bài jūn zhī jiàng in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 败军之将 literally mean?

Literally, 败军之将 means “general of a defeated army”. It is used to mean “a general of a defeated army”.

Where does 败军之将 come from?

败军之将 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 败军之将?

打了败仗的将领。现多用于讽刺失败的人。

Hanzi Now

Explore the charm of Chinese language

Explore

  • Characters
  • Idioms
  • Chinese Names
  • Flashcards

Tools

  • Chinese Text Image Generator
  • Stroke Order Animator
  • Character Highlight Animator
  • Bingo Cards
  • Picture Worksheets
  • All Tools

More

  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
© 2026 Hanzi NowContact Us