取胜 literally means 'to take victory' — the character 取 (qǔ) means 'to take, obtain', and 胜 (shèng) means 'victory, triumph'. Together, they form a compact, formal verb meaning 'to gain victory' or 'to win (a contest, battle, or competition)'. It emphasizes the active achievement of success, often in competitive or adversarial contexts such as sports, military strategy, debates, or even animal behavior (e.g., predators outmaneuvering prey).

The word is commonly used in written Chinese and formal speech, rarely in casual daily conversation. It typically appears with an object (e.g., 取胜于对手 — 'win over an opponent') or in structures like 以…取胜 ('win by means of…'), highlighting the method or advantage used to secure victory. While it can describe human achievements, it also appears in nature writing — for instance, describing how certain animals win conflicts or survive through superior adaptation.