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太刀打ちできる (たちうちできる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, ichidan verb
be a match for ; hold one's own against ; compete with
Often used in the negative form 太刀打ちできない to mean 'cannot compete with' or 'is no match for'. The expression comes from the image of crossing swords (太刀打ち) and implies a contest or comparison.
この
分ぶん
野や
で
は
、
あの
会かい
社しゃ
に
太た
刀ち
打う
ち
できる
企き
業ぎょう
は
少すく
ない
。
In this field, few companies can hold their own against that firm.
Written forms 太た 刀ち 打う ちできる
Standard kanji spelling; the phrase is often used in negative constructions.
太た 刀ち 打う ち 出で 来き る
Variant with 出来る instead of できる; slightly more formal or written.
Kanji 太 plump, thick, big around Similar words 敵かな う 敵う also means 'to be a match for' but is more general and can be used in positive statements; 太刀打ちできる is more emphatic and often appears in negative contexts.
張は り 合あ う 張り合う means 'to compete' or 'to rival' with a nuance of active rivalry, while 太刀打ちできる focuses on being able to match someone's ability or strength.
Etymology From 太刀打ち (tachiuchi, 'crossing swords') + できる (dekiru, 'can do'). The phrase originally referred to being able to fight with swords, and by extension, being able to compete or match someone in any field.
