针锋相对 (zhēn fēng xiāng duì)

Character breakdown

• 针 (zhēn) · 7 strokes

  Simplified form of 針. Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 十 represents the sound.

• 锋 (fēng) · 12 strokes

• 相 (Xiāng) · 9 strokes

  Depicts an eye (目) looking at a tree (木). Based on the original meaning "look at". The meaning of this character has shifted over time to "compare" and "each other".

• 对 (duì) · 5 strokes

  Simplified form of 對. Depicts a hand (寸) holding a farming tool (丵) to develop land (土). Based on the original meaning "develop land".

Usage

双方意见针锋相对，互不相让。

to oppose each other with equal harshness (idiom); tit for tat; measure for measure

shuāng fāng yì jiàn zhēn fēng xiāng duì ， hù bù xiāng ràng 。