match between equally shrewd opponents
Describes a contest or battle where both sides use deception and genuine tactics, and neither can easily outwit the other. Often used in strategic contexts like games, business, or warfare.
The Meijin title match was truly a battle of wits between equally shrewd players.
The negotiations between the two companies were a match of equal cunning, and they couldn't reach a settlement easily.
Standard kanji spelling using the repetition mark 々.
Alternate spelling without repetition marks; less common but still valid.
From the four-character compound 虚虚実実 (falsehoods and truths intermingled) combined with 戦い (battle). The repetition emphasizes the back-and-forth of deceptive and genuine moves.