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甘拜下风

gān bài xià fēng

to admit defeat willingly; to concede that someone is better

Character by character

甘gān
willingly
拜bài
bow
下xià
down
风fēng
wind

Example

论做菜,我在他面前只能甘拜下风。
When it comes to cooking, I can only bow to him.

Tone: neutral.

Usage and origin

下风 is the downwind side, the weaker position. Said of oneself it is a gracious or modest admission (我甘拜下风); said of others it simply means they have been outclassed.

Learn this in Lesson 150 · HSK 7–9: 人机大战:围棋 (Go: man against machine)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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