The Chinese word 挫败 (cuòbài) is a compound formed by combining two characters with related meanings: 挫 (cuò), which means "to defeat," "to frustrate," or "to subdue," and 败 (bài), which means "to be defeated," "to fail," or "to spoil." Each character contributes its semantic force, with 挫 emphasizing the active act of frustrating or thwarting, and 败 emphasizing the resulting state of failure or defeat. Together, they create a word with an amplified or nuanced meaning, signifying "to frustrate and defeat" or "to foil," often used as both a verb (to thwart) and a noun (a setback/failure), describing a complete and thorough overcoming of someone or something.