对敌 (duì dí) — the opposing side; enemy (in conflict or competition); rival (in a competitive setting)

Definition

As a noun, 对敌 refers to the opposing side in conflict or competition — your enemy or rival. It is more formal and used in contexts like military, strategy, or high-stakes contests, unlike the everyday 敌人 which centers on personal hatred.

noun
the opposing sideenemy (in conflict or competition)rival (in a competitive setting)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 对敌，。
    Miàn duì qiáng dà de duì dí, wǒ men jué dìng xiān zhēn chá zài xíng dòng.
    Facing the powerful enemy, we decided to reconnoiter first and then act.
  • 对敌，。
    Zhè chǎng bǐ sài de duì dí shí lì hěn qiáng, wǒ men bù néng qīng dí.
    The opponent in this match is very strong; we cannot underestimate the enemy.
  • 对敌，。
    Yào xiǎng zhàn shèng duì dí, bì xū zhì dìng zhōu mì de jì huà.
    To defeat the enemy, one must make a thorough plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

对duìconfront
敌díenemy

对 means confront and 敌 means enemy, together referring to the opposing side.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 敵; 敌 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pūto tap; to hit
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì敵dí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 敵 pairs 啻 as a sound part with 攴, a part for tapping or hitting.

Open 敌 →

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