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对阵 (duì zhèn) — to face off against, to confront in battle or competition (of armies, teams, etc.); (military) to be poised for battle; (sports) to play against each other

Definition

Verb for two opposing sides facing off directly — armies in battle or teams in a match. Used for the confrontation itself, not the build-up (备战) or the wider conflict (交战).

verb
to face off against, to confront in battle or competition (of armies, teams, etc.)(military) to be poised for battle(sports) to play against each other

Examples

  • 对阵。
    Liǎng zhī qiú duì míng tiān jiāng zài jué sài zhōng duì zhèn.
    The two teams will face off in the final tomorrow.
  • ，。
    Tā men hé duì shǒu duì guò yí zhèn, zuì hòu yíng le.
    They had a confrontation with the opponent and won in the end.
  • 对阵。
    Lì shǐ shàng zhè liǎng zhī jūn duì céng duō cì duì zhèn.
    Historically, these two armies have confronted each other many times.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

对duìface/oppose
阵zhènbattle formation

对 means to face or oppose, and 阵 refers to a battle formation, giving a face-off.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 陣; 阵 is its simplified writing.

  • 東東dōngsack?
  • 東東dōng
  • 攴攴pū

In the traditional form 陣, a left-side part was added to a shortened 東; the older shape also used 攴. The simplified 阵 is a later shorthand.

Open 阵 →
Appears in
Military & DefenseSports & Athletics

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