対

• Reading: たい
• Romaji: tai
• Kanji breakdown: 対 (tai/tsui) — pair, versus, opposite
• Pronunciation: /ta.i/

Meaning

Pair; couple; set; versus. Used for matched pairs or to indicate opposition.

A noun with multiple uses. As a counter, it counts paired items (一対, ittai, one pair). As a prefix meaning 'versus' or 'against,' it appears in 対戦 (taisen, match/battle) and 対策 (taisaku, countermeasure). In sports scores, read as たい (3対2, three to two).

Examples

1. 試合は三対二で勝った。 We won the game three to two.
2. この花瓶は対になっている。 These vases come as a matching pair.
3. 日本対ブラジルの試合を見た。 I watched the Japan versus Brazil match.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, comparisons, academics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 対 originally depicted a hand holding a tool, suggesting the act of facing or confronting something. Over time it developed meanings of pairing, matching, and opposition.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal