bèipàn: 背叛 - Betrayal, To Betray

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• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 背叛 (bèipàn), which means “to betray” or “betrayal.” This comprehensive guide explores its deep cultural meaning, from personal relationships to national loyalty. Discover how to use 背叛 (bèipàn) correctly in sentences, understand its character origins, and learn crucial nuances that separate it from similar terms, making it an essential word for any serious learner of Mandarin.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bèipàn
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To betray; to forsake (one's country, party, friend, etc.); betrayal.
• In a Nutshell: 背叛 (bèipàn) is a heavy and serious word. It signifies a profound violation of trust, loyalty, or faith. It's not just about a simple mistake or letting someone down; it implies a deliberate act of turning against someone or something you were supposed to be loyal to. The feeling it evokes is one of deep hurt, disappointment, and the breaking of a fundamental bond.

• 背 (bèi): The primary meaning of this character is “back,” as in the body part. By extension, it means “to turn one's back on” or “to go against.” Think of literally turning your back on a friend or an oath.
• 叛 (pàn): This character means “to rebel,” “to revolt,” or “to defect.” It has strong connotations of insurrection and breaking away from a group or authority you belong to.

When combined, 背叛 (bèipàn) paints a vivid picture: to turn your back (背) and rebel (叛). This combination captures the essence of betraying a person, a cause, or a country with a sense of finality and opposition.

In Chinese culture, loyalty (忠诚, zhōngchéng) is a paramount virtue, deeply rooted in Confucian philosophy which emphasizes duty and proper relationships (e.g., between ruler and subject, father and son, friend and friend). Consequently, 背叛 (bèipàn) is seen as one of the most severe moral transgressions. While “betrayal” in Western culture is also a serious offense, the Chinese concept of 背叛 (bèipàn) is often more deeply tied to the collective. In the West, betrayal might be framed more around individual feelings and broken promises. In China, betraying your family, your company, or your country is a grave act because it disrupts social harmony and violates a web of duties and obligations (see 关系 - guānxi). It's not just a personal failure; it's a failure to uphold your role within the group, making the act carry a heavier social stigma. For example, an employee leaving a company for a competitor might be described with the lighter English phrase “poached,” but in a Chinese context, if they take secrets with them, it could be condemned as a 背叛 (bèipàn) against the company “family.”

背叛 (bèipàn) is a strong word and is used in situations that involve a serious breach of trust.

• Romantic Relationships and Friendships: This is the most common context in daily life. It is used to describe cheating on a spouse or a friend stabbing another in the back.
  • He betrayed his wife. → 他背叛了他的妻子。
• Political and National Context: This is the most formal and severe usage, referring to treason, espionage, or defecting from a country or political party.
  • This general was accused of betraying his country. → 这位将军被指控背叛国家。
• Business and Organizations: Used when an employee sells company secrets, a partner breaks a crucial agreement, or a team member sabotages a project for personal gain.
  • She betrayed the company's trust. → 她背叛了公司的信任。
• Betraying Principles or Ideals: It can also be used more abstractly to mean betraying one's own values or a cause one once believed in.

• Example 1:
  • 我不敢相信我最好的朋友会背叛我。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù gǎn xiāngxìn wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyǒu huì bèipàn wǒ.
  • English: I can't believe my best friend would betray me.
  • Analysis: This is a very common and direct usage in the context of friendship. The word carries a strong emotional weight of shock and hurt.
• Example 2:
  • 在爱情里，最伤人的就是背叛。
  • Pinyin: Zài àiqíng lǐ, zuì shāng rén de jiùshì bèipàn.
  • English: In love, the most hurtful thing is betrayal.
  • Analysis: Here, 背叛 (bèipàn) is used as a noun. This sentence structure is common for making general statements or expressing a strong opinion about a concept.
• Example 3:
  • 他为了钱背叛了自己的团队。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèile qián bèipàn le zìjǐ de tuánduì.
  • English: He betrayed his own team for money.
  • Analysis: This example clarifies the motive for the betrayal (为了钱 - for money), connecting 背叛 (bèipàn) with the concept of “selling out.”
• Example 4:
  • 这种行为是对我们之间信任的彻底背叛。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng xíngwéi shì duì wǒmen zhī jiān xìnrèn de chèdǐ bèipàn.
  • English: This kind of behavior is a complete betrayal of the trust between us.
  • Analysis: Again used as a noun, this sentence emphasizes the object of the betrayal: trust (信任, xìnrèn). The adverb 彻底 (chèdǐ) means “completely,” intensifying the meaning.
• Example 5:
  • 历史上，背叛国家的人通常没有好下场。
  • Pinyin: Lìshǐ shàng, bèipàn guójiā de rén tōngcháng méiyǒu hǎo xiàchǎng.
  • English: Historically, people who betray their country usually don't have a good end.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the most severe, political use of the word. “没有好下场” (méiyǒu hǎo xiàchǎng) is a common phrase meaning “to come to a bad end.”
• Example 6:
  • 她觉得被全世界背叛了。
  • Pinyin: Tā juéde bèi quán shìjiè bèipàn le.
  • English: She felt as if she had been betrayed by the whole world.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the passive voice structure with 被 (bèi) to emphasize the feeling of being the victim of betrayal. It's a dramatic and emotional expression.
• Example 7:
  • 你永远不应该背叛你自己的原则。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒngyuǎn bù yīnggāi bèipàn nǐ zìjǐ de yuánzé.
  • English: You should never betray your own principles.
  • Analysis: This shows the abstract use of the term. Betraying principles (原则, yuánzé) means acting against your own moral code.
• Example 8:
  • 这是一个关于爱、忠诚和背叛的故事。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yí gè guānyú ài, zhōngchéng hé bèipàn de gùshi.
  • English: This is a story about love, loyalty, and betrayal.
  • Analysis: Here, 背叛 (bèipàn) is used as a noun alongside its antonym, 忠诚 (zhōngchéng - loyalty), highlighting the thematic contrast. This is common in book or movie descriptions.
• Example 9:
  • 他宁可死，也不愿背叛他的同志。
  • Pinyin: Tā nìngkě sǐ, yě bú yuàn bèipàn tā de tóngzhì.
  • English: He would rather die than betray his comrades.
  • Analysis: The structure 宁可…也不… (nìngkě… yě bù…) means “would rather… than…” and is used to show strong resolve. It highlights the high stakes associated with the act of betrayal.
• Example 10:
  • 面对诱惑，他最终还是选择了背叛。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì yòuhuò, tā zuìzhōng háishì xuǎnzéle bèipàn.
  • English: Faced with temptation, in the end he still chose betrayal.
  • Analysis: This sentence frames betrayal as a choice. 面对 (miànduì) means “to face,” and 诱惑 (yòuhuò) means “temptation.” The use of “chose” (选择了, xuǎnzéle) emphasizes the deliberate nature of the act.

• 背叛 (bèipàn) vs. 出卖 (chūmài): This is a critical distinction for learners.
  • 背叛 (bèipàn) is about the violation of loyalty and trust. The focus is on the moral and emotional failure.
  • 出卖 (chūmài) literally means “to sell out.” It strongly implies betraying someone or something for personal gain (money, power, status). While all acts of 出卖 are a form of 背叛, not all acts of 背叛 are 出卖. For example, someone might betray a cause because they lost faith in it, not for personal gain. In that case, 背叛 would be more appropriate than 出卖.
• Don't Use It Lightly (False Friend): In English, you might jokingly say, “You betrayed your diet by eating that cake.” You cannot use 背叛 (bèipàn) this way. It is a very serious and heavy word. Using it for a minor issue would sound overly dramatic and even absurd to a native speaker.
  • Incorrect: 你吃了蛋糕，背叛了你的减肥计划！ (Nǐ chīle dàngāo, bèipànle nǐ de jiǎnféi jìhuà!)
  • Why it's wrong: This is far too strong. It sounds like the diet plan is a sacred oath.
  • Correct: 你吃了蛋糕，你的减肥计划泡汤了！(Nǐ chīle dàngāo, nǐ de jiǎnféi jìhuà pàotāngle!) - “You ate the cake, your diet plan is ruined!” (泡汤了 - pàotāngle is a colloquial way to say “failed” or “came to nothing”). Or, more simply, you could use 辜负 (gūfù), “to let down,” in a very, very dramatic and humorous context, but even that is a stretch.

• 出卖 (chūmài) - A very close synonym, meaning “to sell out.” It emphasizes betraying for personal, often material, gain.
• 忠诚 (zhōngchéng) - The direct antonym: “loyalty,” “fidelity,” “faithfulness.”
• 叛徒 (pàntú) - The noun for the person who betrays: a “traitor” or “renegade.” Note the shared character 叛.
• 背信弃义 (bèixìnqìyì) - A Chengyu (idiom) meaning “to break one's promise and betray justice.” It's a very formal and literary way to describe a serious act of betrayal.
• 欺骗 (qīpiàn) - “To deceive,” “to lie,” “to cheat.” Deception is often a tool of betrayal, but 欺骗 focuses on the act of misleading, while 背叛 focuses on the violation of the relationship.
• 辜负 (gūfù) - “To let down,” “to fail to live up to expectations.” This is a much softer term. You 辜负 someone's hopes or trust, but you 背叛 a person or a cause. It's the difference between disappointment and a malicious breach of loyalty.
• 叛乱 (pànluàn) - “Rebellion,” “insurrection.” This is a large-scale political or military act, directly related to the meaning of the character 叛.