出卖

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出卖 [2025/08/10 06:35] – created xiaoer出卖 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
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-====== chūmài: 出卖 - To Betray, To Sell Out, To Sell ====== +
-===== Quick Summary ===== +
-  * **Keywords:** chumai meaning, chumai Chinese, 出卖 translation, how to say betray in Chinese, sell out in Chinese, chumai pinyin, Chinese word for betrayal, 背叛 vs 出卖, Chinese loyalty +
-  * **Summary:** Learn the powerful Chinese verb **出卖 (chūmài)**, which means "to betray" or "to sell out". While it can literally mean "to sell", its most common and potent usage describes the act of treacherously betraying a friend, a country, or one's principles, usually for personal gain. This guide will break down the characters, explore its deep cultural significance related to loyalty, and provide numerous examples to help you understand the heavy emotional weight of being **出卖 (chūmài)** in Chinese culture. +
-===== Core Meaning ===== +
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chūmài +
-  * **Part of Speech:** Verb +
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 +
-  * **Concise Definition:** To betray a person, group, or principle for personal gain; to sell out. +
-  * **In a Nutshell:** **出卖 (chūmài)** is a word loaded with negative emotion. Think of it as "selling" something that should never be for sale: trust, loyalty, or secrets. While it can technically mean "to put up for sale" in a literal sense, 95% of the time you hear it, it carries the heavy, dramatic weight of betrayal and treachery. It's the act of backstabbing a friend for a promotion, selling state secrets to an enemy, or an artist abandoning their values for commercial success. +
-===== Character Breakdown ===== +
-  * **出 (chū):** This character's original form looked like a foot stepping out of a cave or dwelling. It means **"to go out," "to exit," or "to put forth."** +
-  * **卖 (mài):** This character means **"to sell."** Interestingly, it's the character for "buy" (买, mǎi) with a 士 (shì, scholar/gentleman) or 十 (shí, ten) on top. One folk etymology suggests it's what a scholar //puts out// (出) to sell, or that you're selling what you bought (买). +
-When combined, **出卖 (chūmài)** literally means "to sell out" or "to put out for sale." This literal foundation makes its figurative meaning incredibly intuitive: you are "putting your loyalty out for sale" to the highest bidder. This is why the term so strongly implies that the betrayal was committed in exchange for some benefit. +
-===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== +
-In Chinese culture, where group harmony and collective identity are paramount, loyalty (**忠诚, zhōngchéng**) is a foundational virtue. This applies to family, friends, the workplace, and especially the nation. **出卖 (chūmài)** is the ultimate violation of this virtue. It's not just a personal offense; it's an act that shatters relationships and threatens the integrity of the group. +
-A concept that helps understand the gravity of **出卖** is **义气 (yìqì)**, often translated as "code of brotherhood," "honor," or "righteousness." It's the unspoken rule of unwavering loyalty and support among friends or sworn brothers, a major theme in Chinese literature like //Romance of the Three Kingdoms// and countless martial arts films. To **出卖** a friend who you share **义气** with is one of the most despicable acts a person can commit. +
-Compared to the English word "betray," **出卖 (chūmài)** often feels more transactional and severe. While you can "betray" a secret by accidentally letting it slip, **出卖** implies a conscious, deliberate act of trading that secret for a reward. It's closer in feeling to the English phrase "to sell someone down the river," which captures the sense of treachery for personal gain. +
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== +
-**出卖** is a strong word. You wouldn't use it for minor disagreements. It's reserved for serious breaches of trust. +
-  * **Betraying People or Country (Most Common):** This is the primary usage. It's used in news reports about espionage, dramatic movie dialogues, and heated personal arguments. It always carries a heavy, accusatory tone. +
-    * Connotation: Extremely Negative. +
-    * Formality: Can be used in both formal (news, legal) and informal (arguments) contexts. +
-  * **"Selling Out" Principles:** This is a common figurative use, just like in English. It's used to criticize artists, writers, or anyone who abandons their ideals for money or fame. +
-    * Connotation: Negative, critical. +
-    * Formality: Informal to semi-formal. +
-  * **Literal "To Sell" (Less Common):** In certain legal or formal business contexts, **出卖** can mean "to sell" goods or assets. However, in everyday conversation, you would almost always use the simpler character **卖 (mài)**. Using **出卖** to say you're selling your bike would sound bizarrely dramatic. +
-    * Connotation: Neutral. +
-    * Formality: Formal, often written or legal. +
-===== Example Sentences ===== +
-  * **Example 1:** +
-    * 他为了钱**出卖**了自己最好的朋友。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā wèile qián **chūmài** le zìjǐ zuì hǎo de péngyǒu. +
-    * English: He **sold out** his best friend for money. +
-    * Analysis: This is the classic usage of **出卖**. It highlights the transactional nature of the betrayal—trading friendship for money. +
-  * **Example 2:** +
-    * 我真不敢相信，你竟然**出卖**我！ +
-    * Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn bù gǎn xiāngxìn, nǐ jìngrán **chūmài** wǒ! +
-    * English: I can't believe you actually **betrayed** me! +
-    * Analysis: This is what you would say in a heated, emotional confrontation. The word **竟然 (jìngrán)** adds a sense of shock and disbelief. +
-  * **Example 3:** +
-    * 这位官员因**出卖**国家机密而被判刑。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zhè wèi guānyuán yīn **chūmài** guójiā jīmì ér bèi pànxíng. +
-    * English: This official was sentenced for **betraying** state secrets. +
-    * Analysis: A formal example showing the most severe form of **出卖**—treason. This is common in news and legal contexts. +
-  * **Example 4:** +
-    * 他觉得自己的乐队为了迎合市场而**出卖**了音乐理想。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā juéde zìjǐ de yuèduì wèile yínghé shìchǎng ér **chūmài** le yīnyuè lǐxiǎng. +
-    * English: He felt his band **sold out** their musical ideals to cater to the market. +
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates the figurative use of "selling out" one's principles or art. +
-  * **Example 5:** +
-    * 你放心，我永远不会**出卖**你的。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ fàngxīn, wǒ yǒngyuǎn bù huì **chūmài** nǐ de. +
-    * English: Don't worry, I will never **sell you out**. +
-    * Analysis: A sentence of reassurance, showing how the fear of being **出卖** is a common anxiety in close relationships. +
-  * **Example 6:** +
-    * 在那种情况下，他别无选择，只能**出卖**自己的良心。 +
-    * Pinyin: Zài nà zhǒng qíngkuàng xià, tā bié wú xuǎnzé, zhǐnéng **chūmài** zìjǐ de liángxīn. +
-    * English: Under those circumstances, he had no choice but to **betray** his own conscience. +
-    * Analysis: This shows **出卖** can be used for abstract concepts like one's conscience (**良心, liángxīn**). +
-  * **Example 7:** +
-    * 那个员工把公司的客户名单**出卖**给了竞争对手。 +
-    * Pinyin: Nàge yuángōng bǎ gōngsī de kèhù míngdān **chūmài** gěi le jìngzhēng duìshǒu. +
-    * English: That employee **sold** the company's client list to a competitor. +
-    * Analysis: A common scenario in a business context. Here, "sold" and "betrayed" are almost interchangeable, perfectly capturing the meaning of **出卖**. +
-  * **Example 8:** +
-    * 被最信任的人**出卖**是什么感觉？ +
-    * Pinyin: Bèi zuì xìnrèn de rén **chūmài** shì shénme gǎnjué? +
-    * English: What does it feel like to be **betrayed** by the person you trust the most? +
-    * Analysis: This uses the passive structure **被 (bèi)** to focus on the victim's experience of being betrayed. +
-  * **Example 9:** +
-    * 他是个叛徒，为了活命**出卖**了所有同志。 +
-    * Pinyin: Tā shì ge pàntú, wèile huómìng **chūmài** le suǒyǒu tóngzhì. +
-    * English: He's a traitor; he **sold out** all his comrades to save his own skin. +
-    * Analysis: This sentence pairs **出卖** with the noun **叛徒 (pàntú)**, which means "traitor." +
-  * **Example 10:** +
-    * 根据合同，乙方不得擅自**出卖**其股份。 +
-    * Pinyin: Gēnjù hétóng, yǐfāng bùdé shànzì **chūmài** qí gǔfèn. +
-    * English: According to the contract, Party B may not **sell** its shares without authorization. +
-    * Analysis: This is a rare example of the literal, neutral meaning of **出卖**. Notice the highly formal, legal context. In everyday speech, one would just say **卖 (mài)**. +
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== +
-  * **出卖 (chūmài) vs. 卖 (mài):** This is the most common pitfall for learners. +
-    * **卖 (mài):** The default, neutral word for "to sell." Use this for selling objects, products, houses, etc. +
-      * Correct: 我要**卖**我的车。(Wǒ yào **mài** wǒ de chē.) - I want to sell my car. +
-      * Incorrect: 我要**出卖**我的车。(Wǒ yào **chūmài** wǒ de chē.) - This sounds like you are "selling out" your car, as if it were a loyal friend. It's grammatically correct but emotionally and contextually bizarre. +
-    * **出卖 (chūmài):** Use for betrayal or in very formal/legal contexts for "to sell." +
-  * **出卖 (chūmài) vs. 背叛 (bèipàn):** These are close synonyms but have a subtle difference. +
-    * **背叛 (bèipàn):** "To betray." It focuses on the act of turning against someone or something you were supposed to be loyal to. It's often used for abstract things like love, a promise, or a cause. (e.g., **背叛**爱情 - to be unfaithful in a romantic relationship). +
-    * **出卖 (chūmài):** "To sell out." It often, though not always, implies the betrayal was done //for a tangible gain//. It has a stronger flavor of a "transaction." You trade loyalty for money, safety, or power. You can **背叛** a friend by breaking a promise, but you **出卖** a friend by telling their secrets to an enemy for a reward. +
-===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== +
-  * [[背叛]] (bèipàn) - A very close synonym for "to betray," focusing more on the violation of loyalty itself rather than the transaction. +
-  * [[叛徒]] (pàntú) - The noun for "traitor." This is the person who commits the act of **出卖** or **背叛**. +
-  * [[卖国]] (màiguó) - A more specific and severe form of **出卖**. It means "to sell out the country," or treason. +
-  * [[忠诚]] (zhōngchéng) - The direct antonym: "loyalty," "fidelity," "allegiance." +
-  * [[义气]] (yìqì) - A key cultural concept of honor, righteousness, and loyalty among friends. Violating **义气** is a common reason one is accused of **出卖**. +
-  * [[告密]] (gàomì) - "To snitch," "to inform on someone." This is a specific action that can be a form of **出卖**. +
-  * [[内奸]] (nèijiān) - "A mole," "an inside agent," "a plant." This is a person planted within an organization to **出卖** it from the inside.+