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| 银牌 [2025/08/13 07:46] – created xiaoer | 银牌 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== yínpái: 银牌 - Silver Medal ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** yinpai, yínpái, 银牌, silver medal, second place, runner-up, Olympics medal, Chinese sports award, competition prize | |
| * **Summary:** "银牌" (yínpái) is the Chinese word for "silver medal," the prize awarded for second place in a competition. While its literal meaning is identical to English, understanding "银牌" involves appreciating its cultural weight in China, particularly in high-stakes events like the Olympics, where it represents both a tremendous achievement and the feeling of being just one step away from gold. This page explores its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use in modern Chinese. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yínpái | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** A medal made of or colored silver, awarded to the person or team that finishes second in a competition. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** "银牌" (yínpái) is the direct and universal term for a silver medal. Think of the Olympics, a spelling bee, or any contest with tiered prizes. It represents a fantastic accomplishment, but culturally, it can sometimes carry a bittersweet connotation of being the "first loser" or just missing the ultimate prize, the "金牌" (jīnpái), or gold medal. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **银 (yín):** This character means "silver." The left part, `钅` (jīn), is the "metal" radical, indicating that the character is related to a type of metal. The right part provides the sound. | |
| * **牌 (pái):** This character means "plate," "tablet," "card," or "medal." The left part, `片` (piàn), means "a flat piece," which gives a clue to its shape. | |
| * Together, `银 (yín)` + `牌 (pái)` literally means "silver plate" or "silver medal," a straightforward and logical combination for the prize awarded for second place. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| While "silver medal" is a globally understood concept, the reaction to winning a **银牌** can have a distinct cultural flavor in China. In a culture that places a very high value on achieving the absolute best, especially in arenas of national pride like the Olympic Games, winning a gold medal (`金牌`) is often seen as the only true victory. | |
| This can sometimes cast the **银牌** in a slightly different light than in some Western cultures. While an American athlete winning silver is almost always celebrated as a national hero who brought home a medal, a Chinese athlete in the same position might face media narratives focusing on the "regret" or "disappointment" of not securing gold. This isn't to say the achievement isn't valued, but the cultural emphasis on being number one (`第一`) is incredibly strong. | |
| Therefore, for a learner, the word **银牌** itself is simple, but the emotional and cultural context surrounding it can be complex—a mix of pride in the achievement and the subtle but powerful feeling of having been "so close" to the ultimate goal. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| The use of **银牌** is almost exclusively literal and tied to competitions. | |
| * **Sports:** This is the most common context. You will hear **银牌** constantly during the Olympics (`奥运会`), the Asian Games (`亚运会`), and any national or local sporting event. | |
| * **Academic and Other Competitions:** It is also used for academic Olympiads (Math, Physics), music competitions, and even business contests to denote the runner-up. | |
| * **Connotation:** The connotation is overwhelmingly positive—it's a mark of excellence. However, as mentioned above, in very high-stakes contexts, it can be accompanied by expressions of slight disappointment or a desire to do better next time. It is a formal and neutral term. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 她在奥运会上赢得了一枚**银牌**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā zài Àoyùnhuì shàng yíngdéle yī méi **yínpái**. | |
| * English: She won a silver medal at the Olympic Games. | |
| * Analysis: A standard, common sentence. Note the measure word for medals is `枚 (méi)`. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 虽然他只拿到**银牌**，但我们仍然为他感到骄傲。 | |
| * Pinyin: Suīrán tā zhǐ nádào **yínpái**, dàn wǒmen réngrán wèi tā gǎndào jiāo'ào. | |
| * English: Although he only got the silver medal, we are still proud of him. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence structure `虽然...但是...` (suīrán...dànshì...) is very common and highlights the potential for mixed feelings—acknowledging it's not gold, but still a proud achievement. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 中国队在游泳接力赛中获得**银牌**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhōngguó duì zài yóuyǒng jiēlì sài zhōng huòdé **yínpái**. | |
| * English: The Chinese team won the silver medal in the swimming relay. | |
| * Analysis: `获得 (huòdé)` is a slightly more formal verb for "to obtain" or "to win" than `拿到 (nádào)`. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 这块**银牌**对他来说意义重大。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè kuài **yínpái** duì tā lái shuō yìyì zhòngdà. | |
| * English: This silver medal means a great deal to him. | |
| * Analysis: Here, `块 (kuài)` is used as a measure word instead of `枚 (méi)`. Both are acceptable, though `枚` is often more standard for medals. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 他的目标是金牌，不是**银牌**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā de mùbiāo shì jīnpái, bùshì **yínpái**. | |
| * English: His goal is the gold medal, not the silver medal. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence directly shows the competitive hierarchy between the different medals. | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 恭喜你！**银牌**也是一个了不起的成就！ | |
| * Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐ! **Yínpái** yěshì yīgè liǎobuqǐ de chéngjiù! | |
| * English: Congratulations! A silver medal is also an amazing achievement! | |
| * Analysis: A perfect example of how to congratulate someone who won silver, acknowledging its value. | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 他以微弱的差距与金牌擦肩而过，最终获得了**银牌**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā yǐ wéiruò de chājù yǔ jīnpái cājiān'érguò, zuìzhōng huòdéle **yínpái**. | |
| * English: He narrowly missed the gold medal and ultimately received the silver medal. | |
| * Analysis: The idiom `擦肩而过 (cājiān'érguò)` means "to brush past" or "to narrowly miss," perfectly capturing the feeling of just falling short of first place. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 你觉得哪个队会拿**银牌**？ | |
| * Pinyin: Nǐ juédé nǎge duì huì ná **yínpái**? | |
| * English: Which team do you think will get the silver medal? | |
| * Analysis: A simple question used when discussing or predicting the outcome of a competition. | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 在领奖台上，**银牌**得主看起来有点失望。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zài lǐngjiǎngtái shàng, **yínpái** dézhǔ kànqǐlái yǒudiǎn shīwàng. | |
| * English: On the podium, the silver medal winner looked a little disappointed. | |
| * Analysis: `得主 (dézhǔ)` means "winner" or "recipient." This sentence directly addresses the cultural nuance of being disappointed with second place. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 这次拿了**银牌**，下次我们一定要争取金牌！ | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè cì nále **yínpái**, xià cì wǒmen yīdìng yào zhēngqǔ jīnpái! | |
| * English: We got the silver medal this time, next time we must strive for the gold! | |
| * Analysis: This shows a forward-looking, competitive attitude, using the silver medal as motivation for the future. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **Not a "False Friend":** The term **银牌** is a direct and reliable translation of "silver medal." The primary nuance is not in the word's meaning, but in the cultural weight and emotional reaction associated with it. A learner's mistake is more likely to be cultural (e.g., not understanding why an athlete might seem disappointed) than linguistic. | |
| * **Don't Overextend the Meaning of `牌 (pái)`:** The character `牌 (pái)` means "plate" or "card" in other contexts, such as `车牌 (chēpái)` for "license plate" or `扑克牌 (pūkèpái)` for "playing cards." You cannot use **银牌** to refer to these things. **银牌** is used exclusively for a prize medal. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 我的车牌是**银牌**的颜色。 (My license plate is the color of a silver medal.) | |
| * **Correct:** 我的车牌是银色的。 (My license plate is silver-colored.) | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[金牌]] (jīnpái) - Gold medal. The prize for first place and the ultimate goal that gives **银牌** its context. | |
| * [[铜牌]] (tóngpái) - Bronze medal. The prize for third place. | |
| * [[亚军]] (yàjūn) - Runner-up; second place. This refers to the person or team who wins the **银牌**. `亚 (yà)` means "secondary" or "inferior." | |
| * [[冠军]] (guànjūn) - Champion; first place. The person or team who wins the `金牌`. | |
| * [[奖牌]] (jiǎngpái) - Prize medal. The general, umbrella term for any medal (`金牌`, `银牌`, `铜牌`). | |
| * [[比赛]] (bǐsài) - Competition; match. The event where one would win a **银牌**. | |
| * [[奥运会]] (Àoyùnhuì) - The Olympic Games. The most famous international stage for winning medals. | |
| * [[运动员]] (yùndòngyuán) - Athlete. The person most often associated with winning a **银牌**. | |
| * [[领奖台]] (lǐngjiǎngtái) - Podium; awards platform. The place where medals are presented. | |
| * [[为国争光]] (wèi guó zhēng guāng) - To win glory for the country. An idiom that explains the immense pressure on national athletes, shaping the cultural view of winning gold vs. silver. | |