Enemy meanings in Japanese

敵 (てき)

Example:

He is my enemy in the game.

彼はゲームの中で私の敵です。

The soldiers fought bravely against their enemies.

兵士たちは敵に対して勇敢に戦いました。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used in both everyday conversation and literary contexts, often to describe opponents or adversaries.

Note: This is the most common translation for 'enemy' in Japanese. It can refer to a personal rival, an opponent in a game, or an adversarial group in a conflict.

敵対者 (てきたいしゃ)

Example:

They considered him an enemy combatant.

彼は敵対者と見なされました。

The negotiations broke down because of the enemy factions.

交渉は敵対者の派閥のために崩壊しました。

Usage: formalContext: Typically used in legal, military, or political contexts to describe a person or group that opposes or fights against another.

Note: This term is more formal and is often used in serious discussions, particularly in politics or warfare.

宿敵 (しゅくてき)

Example:

He has a long-standing rivalry with his arch-enemy.

彼は宿敵との長年のライバル関係にあります。

The two teams are fierce rivals, each other's arch-enemies.

その2つのチームは互いの宿敵で、激しいライバルです。

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to describe a long-standing and intense rivalry, often in sports, literature, or personal relationships.

Note: This term conveys a deeper sense of enmity and rivalry, often suggesting a historical context.

反抗者 (はんこうしゃ)

Example:

The rebels were seen as enemies of the state.

反抗者は国家の敵と見なされました。

They labeled him an enemy of the regime.

彼は体制の敵とされました。

Usage: formalContext: Often used in political contexts to describe individuals or groups that oppose authority or government.

Note: This term is used in a political context and suggests rebellion or defiance against authority.

rival

A rival is someone who competes with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.

Example: The two companies have been rivals in the market for years.

Note: Rival often implies a competitive relationship where both parties are striving for the same goal or position.

antagonist

An antagonist is a person who actively opposes or is hostile towards another, especially in a story or drama.

Example: The protagonist of the story faced many challenges from his antagonist.

Note: Antagonist is commonly used in literary or dramatic contexts to refer to a character who opposes the protagonist.

bitter enemy

A bitter enemy is someone with whom you have a strong and deep-rooted hatred or animosity.

Example: They used to be close friends, but now they are bitter enemies after the argument.

Note: The term 'bitter enemy' emphasizes the intense level of animosity or hatred between individuals.

archenemy

An archenemy is a principal enemy or the most prominent and long-standing enemy.

Example: In the comic book world, Superman's archenemy is Lex Luthor.

Note: The term 'archenemy' suggests a more prominent or significant enemy compared to a regular enemy.

mortal enemy

A mortal enemy is an enemy who poses a serious threat and is capable of causing great harm or destruction.

Example: The two crime families have been mortal enemies for generations.

Note: A 'mortal enemy' implies a level of threat and danger beyond that of a typical enemy.

foe

A foe is an opponent or enemy in a conflict, battle, or competition.

Example: He regarded his former business partner as a dangerous foe.

Note: The term 'foe' is a more formal or literary way of referring to an enemy or opponent.

nemesis

A nemesis is a formidable and long-standing rival or archenemy who constantly challenges and opposes someone.

Example: The detective's nemesis always seemed to be one step ahead.

Note: A 'nemesis' is often portrayed as a rival who is particularly challenging or difficult to defeat.

adversary

An adversary is an opponent or enemy in a conflict, especially in a formal or structured setting.

Example: The superhero faced a powerful adversary who tested his abilities.

Note: An 'adversary' typically refers to an opponent in a formal or competitive context, such as in sports or legal matters.

opponent

An opponent is someone who competes against another in a contest, game, or conflict.

Example: She saw him not as an enemy but as a worthy opponent in the chess tournament.

Note: While an opponent can be an enemy, the term 'opponent' focuses on the competitive aspect rather than enmity or hostility.

opposition

Opposition refers to a group or individual that is in a position of resisting, opposing, or competing with another group or individual, especially in a political context.

Example: The political parties are in opposition over the proposed tax bill.

Note: An enemy is often seen as a direct threat or hostile force, whereas opposition may just represent differing viewpoints or stances on an issue.

opposer

An opposer is someone who opposes or goes against something, often in a more vocal or active manner.

Example: She found herself being the only opposer of the new company policy during the meeting.

Note: An enemy typically implies a deeper level of animosity and hostility, whereas an opposer may simply disagree on certain issues or viewpoints.

rivalry

Rivalry refers to a situation where two or more individuals or groups compete against each other in a spirited manner, often leading to a heightened sense of competition.

Example: The longstanding rivalry between the two teams always results in intense matches.

Note: While an enemy relationship is characterized by hostility and enmity, a rivalry may involve healthy competition and mutual respect between opponents.

competitor

A competitor is a person, team, or entity that is in competition with others, often in business or sports. Competitors strive to outperform each other in a particular field.

Example: As a leading tech company, we must always stay ahead of our competitors in the market.

Note: Unlike an enemy who may wish harm or have ill intentions, a competitor is focused on excelling in their own endeavors and may even inspire improvement in others.

challenger

A challenger is someone who competes against another, especially in a sport or contest, or challenges the current state of affairs.

Example: He viewed the new employee as a challenger to his position in the company.

Note: While an enemy typically denotes someone with hostile intent, a challenger may simply pose a threat in terms of competition or a different viewpoint, pushing others to improve.

Enemy soldiers attacked our base.

He is my biggest enemy in the competition.

The two companies are fierce rivals in the market.

Enemy - Noun (Noun) / Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass)

Lemma: enemy

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): enemies

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): enemy

Syllabification and Stress

enemy Contains 3 syllables: en • e • my

Phonetic transcription: ˈe-nə-mē

en e my , ˈe nə mē (The red syllable is stressed)

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

enemy: ~ 1900 (Very common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Enemy