noun
natural enemy relationship; predator-prey relationship
Refers to the ecological relationship where one species is the natural predator or enemy of another. Often used in biology, but also metaphorically for rivalries.
猫と鼠は天敵関係にある。
Cats and mice have a natural enemy relationship.
自然界では、天敵関係が生態系のバランスを保っている。
In nature, predator-prey relationships maintain the balance of the ecosystem.
天敵 means 'natural enemy' (a specific organism), while 天敵関係 refers to the relationship itself.
Compound of 天敵 (natural enemy) and 関係 (relationship).