斗智 (dòu zhì) — to engage in a battle of wits, to match wits

Definition

Literally 'fight wits,' meaning to outsmart an opponent through cleverness rather than force — a verbal or strategic contest. Used for chess, negotiations, debates, or any intellectual showdown.

verb
to engage in a battle of witsto match wits
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，斗智。
    Xià qí bù zhǐ shì bǐ jì shù, gèng shì dòu zhì.
    Playing chess isn't just about comparing skill — it's a battle of wits.
  • ，斗智。
    Tán pàn de shí hou, shuāng fāng dōu zài dòu zhì.
    During the negotiation, both sides were matching wits.
  • ，。
    Tā men dòu le yì huí zhì, zuì hòu shuí yě méi yíng.
    They matched wits for a while, and in the end neither won.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

斗dòufight
智zhìwits

斗 'fight' and 智 'wits' combine to mean matching wits in a struggle.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 斗 originally showed a ladle-shaped dipper or cup used to measure grain, held in a hand.

Open 斗 →

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

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Open 智 →

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