Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 敵人 / 敌人 | dírén |
| 仇敵 / 仇敌 | chóudí |
| 敵 / 敌 | dí |
The term is used to describe someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of or intends injury to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The single character 敵 / 敌 can function as a standalone noun meaning enemy, though it is more frequently used in compounds or formal literary contexts.
Which one should you use?
敵人 / 敌人 is the standard and most common way to say enemy in both general and military contexts. 仇敵 / 仇敌 carries a stronger connotation of deep-seated hatred or a long-standing vendetta, often translated as 'arch-enemy' or 'mortal enemy'. Additionally, the phrase 敌对方 refers specifically to an opposing or hostile party, often used in the context of war or conflicts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, 敵人 is used as an equivalent for enemy. In the Dungan language, the forms дижын and дўшыман are used for enemy.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dírén.
Did you know?
- The Dungan forms дижын and дўшыман are essentially Chinese words written in the Cyrillic alphabet, reflecting the influence of the Soviet Union on Central Asian Chinese speakers.
- Chinese has a specific term 死敵 (sǐdí), meaning 'death enemy', which describes a relationship so hostile that only the death of one party can resolve it.
- The character 敵 can act as a verb meaning 'to resist' or 'to oppose', meaning you can actually 'enemy' someone in classical Chinese.
Examples in context
- 他是我的敌人。He is my enemy.
- 我们成了宿敌。We became arch enemies.
- 这场比赛的对手很强大。The opponent in this game is very strong.
- 我们必须团结，对抗共同的敌人。We must unite and fight against our common enemy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enemy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
