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yī 一 bài 败 tú 涂 dì 地

一败涂地 yī bài tú dì

to suffer a crushing defeat; to be utterly routed

Literally: one defeat smear ground

Intermediate 🏁 Success & failure
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Origin

From the Records of the Grand Historian: Liu Bang warned the people of Pei that choosing the wrong leader would leave them 'defeated with their livers smeared on the ground'.

How to use it

Predicate or complement; negative. Often 输得一败涂地.

Example sentences

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  1. 他们准备得不够，结果在决赛中一败涂地。
    Tāmen zhǔnbèi de bù gòu, jiéguǒ zài juésài zhōng yī bài tú dì.
    They didn't prepare enough and were crushed in the final.
    they prepare (particle) not enough, result at final in one defeat smear ground
  2. 如果不改变经营方法，这家店很快就会一败涂地。
    Rúguǒ bù gǎibiàn jīngyíng fāngfǎ, zhè jiā diàn hěn kuài jiù huì yī bài tú dì.
    If it doesn't change how it operates, this shop will soon collapse completely.
    if not change operate method, this (measure) shop very fast then will one defeat smear ground

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