雠 (chóu) - Enemy, adversary & to feud, to be hostile

雠Tone 2

chóu ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

雠 · chóu

Enemy, adversary;

to feud, to be hostile;

to match, to correspond;

to vend, to sell.

Enemy, adversaryto feud, to be hostileto match, to correspond

Usage highlights

EnemyTextual criticismVend, sellFeud, hostilityCorrespond, matchSworn enemy

Synonyms

  • 仇— Enemy, hatred
  • 敌— Enemy, opponent

Antonyms

  • 友— Friend
  • 亲— Relative, intimate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They became sworn enemies (结为仇雠).
  • The two versions need to be collated (两本需要校雠).
  • He was filled with hatred for his enemy (他对仇雠充满仇恨).
  • The manuscript requires careful textual criticism (手稿需要仔细校雠).

Collocations

  • Enemy(仇雠)
  • Textual criticism(校雠)
  • Vend, sell(雠卖)
  • Feud, hostility(雠怨)
  • Correspond, match(雠对)
  • Sworn enemy(雠敌)

Idioms

  • Deep-seated enmity(深雠大恨)
  • To collate texts(校雠典籍)
  • To avenge a grievance(雪雠报恨)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient texts, 雠 often appears in the context of 'textual criticism' (校雠学), referring to the meticulous comparison and collation of different versions of classical works.
  • The character carries strong connotations of enmity and vendetta, reflecting traditional concepts of honor and revenge.
  • Its complex structure with dual 隹 components symbolizes confrontation or pairing, embodying both the meanings of 'matching' and 'opposing'.

FAQ