対抗

• Reading: たいこう
• Romaji: taikou
• Kanji breakdown: 対 (tai/tsui) — against, facing, pair; 抗 (kou) — to resist, oppose, defy
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.koː/

Meaning

Opposition; rivalry; competition. Standing against or competing with an opposing force.

A する verb (対抗する) meaning to oppose, compete against, or counter. Used in contexts ranging from sports rivalries to business competition and political opposition. Common compounds include 対抗戦 (rivalry match), 対抗馬 (rival candidate), and 対抗措置 (countermeasure). Can describe both hostile opposition and healthy competition.

Examples

1. 大手企業に対抗するために中小企業が連携した。 Small and medium-sized businesses joined forces to compete against large corporations.
2. 相手チームの攻撃に対抗できる戦術を練った。 We devised tactics to counter the opposing team's attacks.
3. 値下げ競争に対抗するのは簡単ではない。 It's not easy to compete in a price-cutting war.

Usage Guide

Context: business, sports, politics, military

Tone: competitive

Origin & History

Compound of 対 (tai, against/facing) + 抗 (kou, to resist/oppose). Both characters convey confrontation, creating a strong sense of standing face-to-face against an adversary.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal