juésài: 决赛 - Final Match, Finals, Championship Game

• Keywords: 决赛, juesai, final match in Chinese, championship game Chinese, Chinese for finals, what is juesai, China sports, Chinese competition, World Cup final in Chinese, NBA finals in Chinese, learn Chinese sports terms.
• Summary: Learn how to say “final match” or “finals” in Chinese with the word 决赛 (jué sài). This essential HSK 4 vocabulary is used for the ultimate championship game in any competition, from the FIFA World Cup final to the last round of a TV talent show. This guide breaks down the characters, explores its cultural significance in modern China, and provides 10 practical example sentences to help you discuss sports and competitions like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jué sài
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: 4
• Concise Definition: The final, decisive competition or match that determines the champion.
• In a Nutshell: 决赛 (jué sài) is the word for the grand finale of any tournament or contest. Think “the finals” of the NBA, the World Cup final, or the last episode of a singing competition. The character `决` means “to decide,” and `赛` means “competition.” Put them together, and you literally get the “deciding competition”—the one match that settles everything and crowns a winner.

• 决 (jué): This character means “to decide” or “to determine.” The left side `氵` is the “water” radical. The original meaning was related to breaking a dike or dam—a decisive, final action that releases the water. This sense of finality and decisiveness is carried into the word 决赛.
• 赛 (sài): This character means “to compete” or a “match/race.” The bottom part `贝` is the radical for “shell” or “cowry,” which was used as ancient currency. This hints at the idea of competing for a prize or valuable reward.
• Together, 决赛 (jué sài) creates a very logical term: the decisive (决) competition (赛).

The term 决赛 itself is straightforward, but its cultural impact in China is immense. Watching a major `决赛` is a significant social event, much like the Super Bowl in the United States. For major international events like the World Cup Final (世界杯决赛 - Shìjièbēi juésài) or the NBA Finals (NBA总决赛 - NBA zǒngjuésài), viewership is massive. Friends and families gather, bars and restaurants are packed, and social media explodes with discussion. There's a powerful collective energy around these events, uniting people in shared excitement and passion. While the American “Super Bowl” is a singular, almost holiday-like event focused on one sport, `决赛` is a broader concept that applies this high-stakes energy to many different fields. The finale of a popular TV singing competition can generate just as much public buzz as a major sporting event. This highlights a cultural appreciation for the drama of peak competition in any arena, be it athletic, artistic, or even academic. The pressure and honor associated with reaching the `决赛` are universally understood.

决赛 is a common and versatile word used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Sports: This is the most frequent use. It applies to any sport at any level, from a school track meet to the Olympics.
  • e.g., 奥运会百米决赛 (Àoyùnhuì bǎimǐ juésài) - The Olympic 100-meter final.
• Esports: With the massive popularity of esports in China, `决赛` is constantly used to talk about championship matches for games like League of Legends (英雄联盟 - Yīngxióng Liánméng) or Dota 2.
• TV Talent Shows: For singing, dancing, or any reality TV competition, the final episode where the winner is chosen is the `决赛`.
  • e.g., 《中国好声音》的决赛 (《Zhōngguó Hǎo Shēngyīn》 de juésài) - The finals of “The Voice of China”.
• Academic & Other Competitions: It's also used for things like speech contests, math olympiads, or debate tournaments.
  • e.g., 汉语桥比赛决赛 (Hànyǔ Qiáo bǐsài juésài) - The “Chinese Bridge” competition finals.

• Example 1:
  • 今晚有世界杯决赛，你支持哪一队？
  • Pinyin: Jīnwǎn yǒu Shìjièbēi juésài, nǐ zhīchí nǎ yí duì?
  • English: The World Cup final is tonight. Which team are you supporting?
  • Analysis: A classic and very common way to talk about a major sporting event. `支持 (zhīchí)` means “to support.”
• Example 2:
  • 他非常努力，终于进入了决赛。
  • Pinyin: Tā fēicháng nǔlì, zhōngyú jìnrù le juésài.
  • English: He worked really hard and finally got into the finals.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `进入 (jìnrù)` meaning “to enter” to describe qualifying for the final round.
• Example 3:
  • 很可惜，我们最喜欢的球队在决赛中输了。
  • Pinyin: Hěn kěxī, wǒmen zuì xǐhuān de qiúduì zài juésài zhōng shū le.
  • English: It's a shame our favorite team lost in the finals.
  • Analysis: `在…中 (zài…zhōng)` is a common structure for “in” or “during.” `输了 (shū le)` means “lost.”
• Example 4:
  • 你买到决赛的票了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ mǎi dào juésài de piào le ma?
  • English: Did you manage to buy tickets for the final match?
  • Analysis: `买到 (mǎi dào)` is a result complement, indicating the action of “buying” was successful.
• Example 5:
  • 这场决赛太精彩了！
  • Pinyin: Zhè chǎng juésài tài jīngcǎi le!
  • English: This final match was so brilliant/exciting!
  • Analysis: `精彩 (jīngcǎi)` is the perfect adjective to describe an amazing performance or a thrilling game. `场 (chǎng)` is the measure word for matches and performances.
• Example 6:
  • 祝贺你在演讲比赛中获得决赛资格！
  • Pinyin: Zhùhè nǐ zài yǎnjiǎng bǐsài zhōng huòdé juésài zīgé!
  • English: Congratulations on qualifying for the finals in the speech competition!
  • Analysis: This shows the term's use outside of sports. `获得…资格 (huòdé…zīgé)` means “to obtain the qualification for…”.
• Example 7:
  • 决赛将于北京时间晚上八点开始。
  • Pinyin: Juésài jiāngyú Běijīng shíjiān wǎnshang bā diǎn kāishǐ.
  • English: The final will begin at 8 PM Beijing time.
  • Analysis: A more formal sentence, typical of a news report or official announcement. `将于 (jiāngyú)` is a formal way to say “will be at/on.”
• Example 8:
  • 谁赢了昨天的网球决赛？
  • Pinyin: Shéi yíngle zuótiān de wǎngqiú juésài?
  • English: Who won yesterday's tennis final?
  • Analysis: A simple, direct question. `赢了 (yíngle)` means “won.”
• Example 9:
  • 整个国家都在关注这场决赛。
  • Pinyin: Zhěnggè guójiā dōu zài guānzhù zhè chǎng juésài.
  • English: The entire country is paying attention to this final match.
  • Analysis: `关注 (guānzhù)` means “to follow with interest” or “to pay close attention to.” This captures the cultural significance of a major final.
• Example 10:
  • 今年NBA总决赛的对阵双方是哪两支队伍？
  • Pinyin: Jīnnián NBA zǒngjuésài de duìzhèn shuāngfāng shì nǎ liǎng zhī duìwǔ?
  • English: Who are the two opposing teams in this year's NBA finals?
  • Analysis: A slightly more advanced sentence. `总决赛 (zǒngjuésài)` means “general finals” or the final series. `对阵双方 (duìzhèn shuāngfāng)` means “the two opposing sides.”

The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing the event (the final match) with the winner (the champion).

• 决赛 (jué sài) = The Final Match (the event)
• 冠军 (guànjūn) = The Champion (the person/team/title)

Think of it this way: You win the `决赛` to become the `冠军`. Incorrect Usage:

• `我的球队是决赛。 (Wǒ de qiúduì shì juésài.)`
• Why it's wrong: This literally means “My team is the final match.” A team is a group of people, not an event.
• Correct Usage:
  • `我的球队赢了决赛。(Wǒ de qiúduì yíngle juésài.)` - My team won the final match.
  • `我的球队是冠军。(Wǒ de qiúduì shì guànjūn.)` - My team is the champion.

Another point of confusion is with the general word for competition, `比赛 (bǐsài)`.

• 比赛 (bǐsài): Any match or competition.
• 决赛 (jué sài): Specifically the *final* match of a tournament.
• Rule: Every `决赛` is a type of `比赛`, but not every `比赛` is a `决赛`.

• 冠军 (guànjūn) - Champion; the winner of the `决赛`.
• 亚军 (yàjūn) - Runner-up; second place.
• 半决赛 (bànjuésài) - Semifinal (literally “half-final”). The match right before the `决赛`.
• 比赛 (bǐsài) - The general term for any match, game, or competition.
• 淘汰赛 (táotàisài) - A knockout match or elimination round.
• 预选赛 (yùxuǎnsài) - A preliminary or qualifying match.
• 赢 (yíng) - To win.
• 输 (shū) - To lose.
• 队伍 (duìwu) - Team (often used for sports teams).
• 选手 (xuǎnshǒu) - A contestant or player in a competition.