相抵 (xiāng dǐ) — to offset; to balance each other out; to counterbalance

Definition

A formal verb meaning two amounts or forces cancel each other out. Unlike 抵消 (same meaning, more common), 相抵 emphasizes the mutual, two-way balance between two sides.

verb
to offsetto balance each other outto counterbalance

Examples

  • 相抵。
    Shōu rù yǔ zhī chū xiāng dǐ.
    Income and expenses offset each other.
  • 相抵。
    Zhè liǎng bǐ zhàng mù xiāng dǐ.
    These two accounts balance each other out.
  • 相抵。
    Tā de cuò wù hé gòng xiàn xiāng dǐ le.
    His mistakes and contributions counterbalanced each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

相xiāngmutual
抵dǐoffset

相 and 抵 combine to mean offsetting each other.

Characters in this word

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī抵
Same sound today

抵 pairs 手 (hand) with 氐, which gives its sound.

Open 抵 →

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