征服 meaning in English

zhēngfú

to conquer; to subdue

HSK 4verb16 strokes

Meaning of 征服

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

zhēngfú

to conquer
to subdue
to vanquish

How to use 征服

征服 is used for conquering lands or enemies, and also in a figurative sense for winning people over or overcoming nature. Example: 他的歌声征服了所有观众。(Tā de gēshēng zhēngfúle suǒyǒu guānzhòng.) His singing won over the whole audience.

征 (zhēng) means to go on a military expedition, and 服 (fú) means to submit or yield. Picture an army marching out on campaign until the other side gives in, and you have 征服, to conquer.

Common mistake: Learners often mix up 征服 with 克服 (kèfú). 克服 is for overcoming difficulties or fears, while 征服 takes a target like a country, a mountain or people, so say 克服困难, not 征服困难.

征服 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

他tā被bèi数shù字zì征zhēng服fú了le。

He was overcome by numbers.

被bèi征zhēng服fú的de人rén永yǒng远yuǎn是shì错cuò的de。历lì史shǐ只zhǐ记jì得de他tā们men的de失shī败bài。

Those who are defeated are always wrong. History only remembers their failure.

我wǒ来lái，我wǒ见jiàn，我wǒ征zhēng服fú。

I came, I saw, I conquered.

你nǐ知zhī道dào是shì谁shuí第dì一yí个gè征zhēng服fú珠zhū穆mù朗lǎng玛mǎ峰fēng的de吗ma?

Do you know who conquered Mt. Everest first?

罗luó马mǎ人rén如rú果guǒ必bì须xū先xiān学xué拉lā丁dīng文wén的de话huà，是shì没méi有yǒu机jī会huì征zhēng服fú世shì界jiè的de。

The Romans would never have had the chance to conquer the world if they had first been required to study Latin.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

征 zhēng · journey · 8 strokes

服 fú · clothes · 8 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 征服.

衣服	yīfu	clothes
舒服	shūfu	comfortable; feeling well
服务	fúwù	to serve; service
服装	fúzhuāng	dress; clothing
克服	kèfú	(try to) overcome (hardships etc); to conquer
服务员	fúwùyuán	waiter; waitress
说服	shuōfú	to persuade; to convince
特征	tèzhēng	characteristic; diagnostic property
征求	zhēngqiú	to solicit; to seek
服从	fúcóng	to obey (an order); to comply
象征	xiàngzhēng	symbol; emblem; to symbolize; to signify; to represent
羽绒服	yǔróngfú	down jacket; down coat

Questions about 征服

What does 征服 mean?

征服 (zhēngfú) means "to conquer; to subdue" and is used as a verb.

How do you write 征服?

征服 is made of 2 characters: 征 (8 strokes), 服 (8 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.

Is 征服 an HSK word?

Yes. 征服 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

Can 征服 be used in a positive, non-military way?

Yes. It is common to say a performance, a dish or a person 征服了 someone, meaning they completely won them over. People also say 征服珠峰 (zhēngfú Zhūfēng), to conquer Mount Everest.

Why does 服 appear in both 征服 and 衣服?

服 has several meanings. In 衣服 (yīfu) and 服装 (fúzhuāng) it means clothing, while in 征服 and 克服 it carries the sense of submitting or being subdued. Note that 服 is neutral tone in 衣服 but second tone fú in 征服.