Meaning of 对手
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- opponent
- rival
- competitor
- (well-matched) adversary
- match
How to use 对手
对手 is used for opponents in sports, games, business, and debates. It can be neutral or show respect for a strong rival. Example: 他是我最强的对手。(Tā shì wǒ zuì qiáng de duìshǒu.) He is my strongest opponent.
对 (duì) means facing or opposite, as in 对面 (duìmiàn), and 手 (shǒu) is hand, also used for a person skilled at something. A 对手 is the hand facing yours across the table: your opponent.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 对手 for any enemy, but 对手 means a competitor or rival, while a hostile enemy is 敌人 (dírén). Also keep the tones clear: duì is fourth tone and shǒu is third tone.
对手 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
对 duì · right · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
手 shǒu · hand · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 对手.
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint |
| 手机 | shǒujī | cell phone; mobile phone |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory |
| 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; wrong |
| 对话 | duìhuà | to talk (with sb); dialogue; conversation |
| 对面 | duìmiàn | opposite; across (the street etc); directly in front of one; up ahead |
| 手表 | shǒubiǎo | wristwatch |
| 举手 | jǔshǒu | to raise a hand; to put up one's hand (as signal) |
| 绝对 | juéduì | absolute; unconditional |
| 面对 | miànduì | to face; to confront |
| 反对 | fǎnduì | to oppose; to be against; to object to |
| 对方 | duìfāng | the other person; the other side; the other party |
Questions about 对手
What does 对手 mean?
对手 (duìshǒu) means "opponent; rival" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 对手?
对手 is made of 2 characters: 对 (5 strokes), 手 (4 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 对手 an HSK word?
Yes. 对手 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 对手 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 对手 is written 對手.
What does 不是他的对手 mean?
It means 'no match for him' or 'can't beat him.' For example, 我不是他的对手 (wǒ bú shì tā de duìshǒu) means I am not good enough to compete with him.
How is 对手 different from 竞争对手?
竞争对手 (jìngzhēng duìshǒu) specifically means a competitor, usually in business or markets. 对手 alone is broader and covers opponents in games, sports, and arguments too.