不敵

• Reading: ふてき
• Romaji: futeki
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (fu) — negation; 敵 (teki) — enemy, opponent
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯteki/

Meaning

Bold; fearless; dauntless; showing no fear of opponents or adversity.

A na-adjective with a powerful, positive connotation of courage. Its most iconic collocation is 不敵な笑み (a fearless grin), describing the expression of someone who remains cool and confident under threat. It is more literary than colloquial and often appears in fiction, sports writing, and drama.

Examples

1. 追い詰められても不敵な笑みを浮かべる彼に、敵は思わず怯んだ。 Even when cornered, he wore a fearless grin that made his enemies flinch.
2. 不敵な面構えで土俵に登場した挑戦者に観客は息をのんだ。 The audience gasped as the challenger stepped onto the sumo ring with a dauntless expression.
3. どんな逆境でも不敵に立ち向かうのが彼の流儀だった。 Boldly facing any adversity head-on was his way of doing things.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, sports, drama, biography

Tone: admiring

Origin & History

Compound of 不 (not) and 敵 (enemy, opponent, to match). Literally means one who cannot be matched — too fearless to be intimidated. The word elevates the subject by implying they are beyond the reach of ordinary rivals.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal