Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 を 相あい 手て に 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something with/against someone as one's opponent or partner
I played shogi against my child.
相あい 手て の 気き 持も ちを 考かんが える to think about the other person's feelings
You should consider the other person's feelings when you speak.
相あい 手て に 勝か つ to beat one's opponent
It's not easy to beat a strong opponent.
相あい 手て の 立たち 場ば に 立た つ to put oneself in the other party's position
In negotiations, it's important to think from the other party's position.
Expressions· 7 相あい 手て 取ど る take on as an opponent; challenge (in court) 相あい 手て が 悪わる い out of one's league; facing a too tough opponent; outclassed 相あい 手て にする associate with; deal with; take notice of · play against; take on (a rival) 相あい 手て をする keep company; look after; entertain; play with 相あい 手て を 選えら ぶ choose one's opponent/partner; pick one's battles; discriminate between targets Show 2 more Show fewer 相あい 手て を 負ま かす defeat one's opponent; beat the other party Kanji 相 inter-, mutual, together Related words· 7 敵 specifically means a hostile enemy, whereas 相手 is neutral and can refer to any counterpart, friendly or otherwise.
ライバル is a borrowed word for a rival you compete with over time, while 相手 is the plain, native term for whoever you're facing in a given match or contest.
パートナー is a loanword often used for a business or romantic partner, while 相手 is broader and more common in everyday Japanese.
相棒 is a casual, affectionate word for a close buddy or sidekick, while 相手 is the neutral term for whoever you're with or dealing with.
Show 3 more Show fewer 相手 is the neutral word for 'the other party' in any interaction, while 向こう is a slightly more casual way to refer to the same person or side, often with a hint of opposition.
相手 is the common, everyday word for 'the other person' or 'opponent', while 相手方 is a more formal term used in legal, business, or negotiation contexts to designate the opposing side as a formal party.
相手 is a broader, more neutral word for the other person or opponent, while 先方 is formal and typically used in business or official contexts.
Don't confuse with 相手 broadly means 'the other party' in any interaction (an opponent, customer, etc.), while 相方 specifically means a fixed partner such as one's manzai duo partner or a companion for the evening.
相手 alone just means 'partner/opponent' in any context, whereas 遊び相手 specifically means a companion for play, so dropping 遊び changes the meaning.
相手 is a general word for 'the other party' in any interaction, while 競争相手 specifically means someone you are competing against.
Word family· 26 other party; opposing party; opponent
person to talk to; conversation partner; someone to confide in
adviser; confidant; someone to consult with
competitor; rival
marriage partner; spouse · future spouse; fiancé(e); husband/wife-to-be
Show 7 more Show fewer the other side; the other party; the other end
the other party; counterpart; person/company you are dealing with
partner country; other country; opponent country
opposing role; partner
opponent's territory; opponent's side of the field
illicit lover; affair partner; mistress
romantic partner; significant other; boyfriend/girlfriend
See all 26 in Explore →
Etymology Composed of 相 (mutual) and 手 (hand/person), literally 'mutual hand', referring to the person one interacts with.
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