优势 yōushì superiority
superiority; dominance; advantage
How to remember 优势: 优 superior + 势 power = superiority.
Characters
How it is used
- An advantage or edge - 竞争优势 (jìngzhēng yōushì) competitive advantage; 发挥优势 (fāhuī yōushì) to leverage one's strengths.
- Contrast 劣势 (lièshì, disadvantage), its exact antonym.
- Distinguish 好处 (hǎochu, a benefit/perk) - 优势 is a relative superiority over a rival, not just a general benefit.
Example sentences
- 在学校时我学了中文是个优势。 Zài xuéxiào shí wǒxué le zhōngwén shì gè yōushì.It was an advantage having learned Chinese while I was in school.
- 她充分利用她住在伦敦的优势，提高英语。 Tā chōngfènlìyòng tā zhù zài lúndūn de yōushì, tígāo yīngyǔ.She took full advantage of her stay in London to improve her English.