区别辨析opponent、competitor、enemy、foe与rival

这些名词均有“对手,敌手”之意。

opponent : 最常用词,通常指在争论、辩论、竞选或竞赛以及其它各种矛盾冲突中站在对立面的“对手”或“敌手”。

  • a political opponent
    政敌
  • Leading opponents of the proposed cuts in defence spending will meet later today.
    反对削减国防开支建议的带头人将在今天晚些时候会面。
  • In the second game, her opponent hurt her leg and had to retire.
    在第二局,她的对手拉伤了腿,不得不退出比赛。

competitor : 指为同一目标或目的竞争者,一般无感情色彩。

  • Their prices are better than any of their competitors.
    他们的价格比所有竞争对手的都要优惠。
  • How many competitors took part in the race?
    有多少选手参加了赛跑?

enemy : 多指充满敌意的仇敌。

  • He's made a few enemies in this company.
    他在公司中和几个人结了怨。
  • Max stole Lee's girlfriend and they've been enemies ever since.
    马克斯抢走了李的女朋友,从那以后他们就成了冤家对头。
  • political enemies
    政敌
  • The enemy had succeeded in stopping our supplies from getting through.
    敌人成功切断了我军的补给线。
  • an attack by enemy aircraft
    敌机的空袭
  • enemy forces/territory
    敌军/敌区

foe : 语气较强,多用于书面文字和诗歌中。指不仅敌对,而且很危险,怀有很深的敌意。

  • The two countries have united against their common foe.
    两国联合起来对抗共同的敌人。
  • They were bitter foes for many years.
    他们结仇多年。
  • Foes of the government will be delighting in its current difficulties.
    政府的敌人会对政府目前的困难处境幸灾乐祸。

rival : 指与某人目标一致而想赶上或超过他的人,匹敌者。

  • He beat his closest/nearest rival by 20 marks.
    他以领先20分的成绩打败了和他水平最接近的对手。
  • The companies produce rival versions of the toy.
    这些公司生产的玩具跟我们的产品争夺市场。