对弈

對弈

duìyì

verb HSK 7-9 #40,361

Meanings

1 to play chess (against an opponent)
2 to play a board game against each other

Characters

against; facing

chess; board game

弈 is an ancient character for board games, with 廾 (two hands) at the bottom - two people playing against each other.

Examples

HSK 6

两位高手正在对弈。

Liǎng wèi gāoshǒu zhèngzài duìyì.

Two masters are playing chess against each other.

HSK 7-9

他们在公园里对弈围棋。

Tāmen zài gōngyuán lǐ duìyì wéiqí.

They are playing Go against each other in the park.

Tips

register

对弈 is literary and elegant - used in writing or formal contexts. In casual speech, people just say 下棋 (xiàqí, to play chess). 对弈 evokes the refined image of two scholars playing Go.

Stroke Order

对 duì

弈 yì