针 zhēn
- Strokes
- 7
- Radical
- 钅 — gold, metal
- Made of
- 钅 gold, metal 十 ten, tenth
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
针锋相对
zhēnfēngxiāngduì
to oppose each other sharply; tit for tat
Characters in this word
锋 fēng
- Strokes
- 12
- Radical
- 钅 — gold, metal
- Made of
- 钅 gold, metal 夆 to resist
- How it's built
- Phono-semantic — one part hints at the meaning, another at the sound
相 xiāng
- Strokes
- 9
- Radical
- 目 — eye
- How it's built
- Ideograph — the meaning is built from its parts
Example phrases
- 谈判桌上两家公司针锋相对，谁也不肯先让一步。 Tànpàn zhuō shàng liǎng jiā gōngsī zhēnfēngxiāngduì, shéi yě bù kěn xiān ràng yí bù. At the negotiating table the two companies confronted each other sharply, and neither was willing to give in first.
- 会议一开始，两位代表就针锋相对，争论了整整两个小时。 Huìyì yì kāishǐ, liǎng wèi dàibiǎo jiù zhēnfēngxiāngduì, zhēnglùn le zhěngzhèng liǎng gè xiǎoshí. The moment the meeting began, the two representatives locked horns and argued for a full two hours.
- 他们平时关系很好，讨论问题时却总是针锋相对。 Tāmen píngshí guānxi hěn hǎo, tǎolùn wèntí shí què zǒngshì zhēnfēngxiāngduì. They get along well normally, but when discussing issues they always clash head-on.
Related words
- 打针 dǎzhēn to get an injection
- 方针 fāngzhēn policy; guiding plan
- 针 zhēn needle
- 针对 zhēnduì toward; aimed at
- 一针见血 yìzhēnjiànxiě to hit the nail on the head; incisive
- 针灸 zhēnjiǔ acupuncture and moxibustion; acupuncture
- 锋利 fēnglì sharp; incisive
- 交锋 jiāofēng to clash; to confront
- 先锋 xiānfēng pioneer; vanguard
- 相同 xiāngtóng same
- 相信 xiāngxìn to believe; to trust
- 相机 xiàngjī camera