Dictionary › 成则为王，败则为寇

成则为王，败则为寇

chéng zé wéi wáng , bài zé wéi kòu

9-character word Traditional 成則為王，敗則為寇

What 成则为王，败则为寇 means

1. lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom)
2. fig. losers are always in the wrong

The characters in 成则为王，败则为寇

• 成chéngto succeed; to finish; to complete
• 则zé(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then…
• 为wéias (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as
• 王wángking or monarch; best or strongest of its type; grand
• 败bàito defeat; to damage; to lose (to an opponent)
• 则zé(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then…
• 为wéias (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as
• 寇kòuto invade; to plunder; bandit