狭路相逢 (xiá lù xiāng féng) — (idiom) to come into unavoidable confrontation; to meet head-on (of adversaries)

Definition

A chengyu meaning two enemies or rivals meet face-to-face on a narrow road, with confrontation unavoidable. Use it only for hostile or competitive encounters, not neutral chance meetings.

idiom
to come into unavoidable confrontationto meet head-on (of adversaries)

Examples

  • 狭路相逢，。
    Tā men liǎ xiá lù xiāng féng, yì chǎng zhēng chǎo bù kě bì miǎn.
    When the two of them met on a narrow path, a quarrel was unavoidable.
  • ，狭路相逢，。
    Zài shāng chǎng shàng, liǎng jiā gōng sī xiá lù xiāng féng, jìng zhēng shí fēn jī liè.
    In the business world, the two companies met head-on, and the competition was fierce.
  • 狭路相逢，。
    Chóu rén xiá lù xiāng féng, fèn wài yǎn hóng.
    When enemies meet on a narrow path, their eyes burn with extra hatred.

Origin

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 狹; 狭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
夾
夾jiā狹xiá
Same sound today

The traditional form 狹 pairs 犭 (dog) with 夾 as a sound part; the simplified 狭 is a later shorthand.

Open 狭 →

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
足足zú
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè路lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
夆
夆páng逢féng
Same sound today

In 逢, 辶 is the walking part and 夆 is the sound part.

Open 逢 →

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