敌 (dí) - enemy, foe, opponent & to oppose, to resist

敌Tone 2

dí ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

敌 · dí

enemy, foe, opponent;

to oppose, to resist;

to match, to be equal to

enemy, foe, opponentto oppose, to resistto match, to be equal to

Usage highlights

enemyenemy armyto hate the enemyto resist the enemyinvincible, unmatchedto be hostile

Synonyms

  • 仇— enemy, foe (often with a stronger connotation of hatred or vendetta)
  • 寇— invader, bandit, enemy

Antonyms

  • 友— friend
  • 我— self, our side (in a conflict)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The two armies were bitter enemies (敌人).
  • He fought against the enemy forces (敌军).
  • This medicine is effective against various toxins (解毒).
  • No one could match his strength (无敌).

Collocations

  • enemy(敌人)
  • enemy army(敌军)
  • to hate the enemy(仇敌)
  • to resist the enemy(抗敌)
  • invincible, unmatched(无敌)
  • enemy-occupied area(敌区)

Idioms

  • To regard everyone as one's enemy(草木皆兵, though not containing 敌, conveys similar paranoia; a direct idiom is 同仇敌忾 - shared hatred for the enemy)
  • Invincible, matchless(天下无敌)
  • To be a match for a hundred(以一敌百)
  • To be evenly matched(势均力敌)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese military strategy, understanding one's enemy (知彼) is crucial, as stated in Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'.
  • The concept of 敌 extends beyond military contexts to any form of opposition or rivalry.
  • In philosophical contexts, it can represent a force that one must overcome or harmonize with.

FAQ