敵（てき、teki）
- enemy

The Japanese word 敵, read as てき (teki), primarily means "enemy," "opponent," or "rival." It refers to a person, group, or thing that is hostile to another. It can also be used more broadly to describe anything that opposes or hinders something else. 敵 is a crucial word in understanding concepts of conflict, competition, and opposition.

⚫︎彼敵は強かった。 Translation: He was a strong enemy. ⚫︎彼らは最大の敵同士だ。 Translation: They are the biggest rivals. ⚫︎インフレは経済の敵だ。 Translation: Inflation is the enemy of the economy.

⚫︎ Use 敵 when referring to someone or something considered an opponent in a battle, game, competition, or any situation involving conflict. ⚫︎ It can describe a person, an organization, or even an abstract concept like a disease or a natural disaster. ⚫︎ The nuance can vary depending on context; it can be a serious adversary or a playful rival.

⚫︎ The standard way to write 敵 is with the kanji 敵. ⚫︎ The hiragana reading is てき (teki). ⚫︎ There is no variation in the okurigana.

⚫︎ 相手 (aite) - opponent, the other party ⚫︎ ライバル (raibaru) - rival ⚫︎ 仇 (kataki) - enemy (more formal and often refers to a sworn enemy seeking revenge)

⚫︎ 味方 (mikata) - ally, friend, supporter ⚫︎ 仲間 (nakama) - companion, comrade ⚫︎ 協力者 (kyōryokusha) - collaborator

彼は長年の敵との試合に勝った。 ・Translation: He won the match against his long-time rival. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 敵 to describe a long-standing opponent in a contest or competition.

病気が敵として現れた。 ・Translation: The disease emerged as an enemy. ・Explanation: In this context, 敵 refers to the disease that is viewed as an opponent or threat.

The kanji 敵 敵 is composed of two parts. The left side is 啇 (shaku), which is a component that refers to "deal with something". The right side is 攵 (bokusetsu), which is a component meaning "to strike, to attack". Together, they indicate an opposing force or someone to be attacked and combatted against, hence the meaning of "enemy."