敌 dí enemy
enemy; foe; rival
How to remember 敌: 舌 tongue + 攵 tap = enemy. The boy sticks out his tongue at the kid next door and gives his shoulder a tap, his sworn enemy since kindergarten.
Component breakdown
敌 = 舌 tongue + 攵 tap
- 舌 tongue
- 攵 tap
The boy sticks out his tongue at the kid next door and gives his shoulder a tap, his sworn enemy since kindergarten.
How it is used
- 敌人 dírén "enemy" is the core word, usable both literally (wartime) and figuratively.
- 无敌 wúdí "unrivaled, invincible" is common casually and in gaming/pop culture: 无敌了 "unbeatable!"
- 敌视 díshì "to view with hostility, treat as an enemy" is a more abstract, political-register extension.