树敌 (shù dí) — to make an enemy (of someone), to antagonize

Definition

Literary verb meaning 'to make enemies / antagonize others.' Usually negative: 树敌 means the action itself, not a one-time incident.

verb

to make an enemy (of someone)to antagonize

，树敌。
Tā yīn wèi shuō huà tài zhí, shù dí hěn duō.
He made many enemies because he spoke too bluntly.
。
Tā shù le hěn duō dí.
He made many enemies.
，树敌。
Zài zhí chǎng shàng, bú yào qīng yì shù dí.
In the workplace, don't easily make enemies.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

"树" (set up) plus "敌" (enemy) means to create or make an enemy.

Characters in this word

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 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

木尌樹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

尌

尌shù樹shù

Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.

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.

Appears in