林丹能够实现了全满贯,成为羽毛球界第一人,这或许也离不开对手的功劳。前有陶菲克,后有李宗伟,他们都给林丹的夺冠征程制造过或多或少的麻烦。我们常说要感谢你的对手,因为正是有这么一位劲敌的存在才让你不断努力拼搏,才让你更上一层楼。今天我们就来说说关于“劲敌”的英文表达。

• “劲敌”也就是应付起来很困难的对手,而表示“难对付的”有个词叫formidable。“对手”我们比较熟悉的是opponent,这里介绍另外两个词,一个是adversary,一个是rival。rival这个词本身就带有“可与之相比”的含义,更突显竞争双方不相上下的意味。例如:

The elegant right-hander's versatility made him a formidable adversary in crunch times.
出色全面的右手球员技术让他在艰难时刻成为对手的劲敌。

Host beach spikers turn formidable rivals to topple in the Asian Games.
亚运会上,东道主的沙滩排球选手击垮了他们的劲敌。

• match这个词大家都认识,不过你也许不知道它也能表达“劲敌”,在它的释义中有一条就是"One that is able to compete equally with another",能与对方抗衡的人。例如:

The boxer had met his match.
拳击手遭遇了劲敌。

而match除了做名词外,还能做动词用:

The teams were well matched.
这些队伍势均力敌。

Since these well-matched adversaries are both highly disciplined and equally heartless, Corte is at a disadvantage.
这些劲敌们都是训练有素又冷酷无情,这让Corte处于劣势。

• 最后再教大家一个短语:foe/enemy worthy of one's steel,表示“值得与之较量的劲敌”。

He  faced the fact squarely that there was a foe worthy of his steel.
他正视这一事实:现在他有了一位劲敌。

(本文由沪江原创,仅供腾讯亚运英语专题独家转载)