淘汰 táotài to wash out
to wash out; (figuratively) to cull; to weed out; to eliminate; to die out; to phase out
How to remember 淘汰: 淘 to dredge + 汰 to eliminate = to wash out.
Characters
How it is used
- To eliminate/weed out/phase out - 被淘汰 (bèi táotài) get eliminated (from a contest), 淘汰旧设备 (táotài jiù shèbèi) phase out old equipment, 优胜劣汰 (yōushèng-liètài) survival of the fittest.
- About removing the inferior/outdated through selection or competition; common in sports (淘汰赛 knockout round) and technology.
- Contrast 消灭 (xiāomiè, annihilate); 淘汰 is selective removal of what fails to make the cut.