Chinese word

不相上下

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù xiāng shàng xià

Meaning

  • adjectiveevenly matched

Example

两队的实力不相上下，比赛很难预测。liǎng duì de shí lì bù xiāng shàng xià bǐ sài hěn nán yù cè

The two teams are evenly matched, so the outcome is hard to predict.

Illustration for 不相上下 (evenly matched)

More examples

两家公司在市场份额上不相上下，竞争很激烈。liǎng jiā gōng sī zài shì chǎng fèn é shàng bù xiāng shàng xià jìng zhēng hěn jī liè

The two companies are evenly matched in market share, so competition is fierce.

Core concept

Two sides balance so closely that choosing which one is better becomes difficult.

Common phrases

  • 实力不相上下shí lì bù xiāng shàng xià

    evenly matched in strength

  • 水平不相上下shuǐ píng bù xiāng shàng xià

    evenly matched in level

  • 双方不相上下shuāng fāng bù xiāng shàng xià

    evenly matched on both sides

Similar words

伯仲bó zhòng: Almost equal in strength or status, with no clear difference in rank or outcome.
拮抗jié kàng: Closely balanced in opposing strength, so the result is difficult to settle.
势均力敌shì jūn lì dí: Equal in strength or ability, with neither side able to overcome the other.

Definition in Chinese

用来形容双方在能力、程度或影响力等方面差距很小，互相接近，难以分出胜负或高下。yòng lái xíng róng shuāng fāng zài néng lì chéng dù huò yíng xiǎng lì děng fāng miàn chā jù hén xiǎo hù xiāng jiē jìn nán yǐ fēn chū shèng fù huò gāo xià

Word origin

不相上下 (bùxiāngshàngxià, "evenly matched") literally joins 不 (bù, "not"), 相 (xiāng, "each other"), and 上下 (shàngxià, "higher or lower"), expressing that neither side is above the other.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, the phrase can compare restaurants, plans, or performances, not only sports teams, so it also fits judgments about quality outside a formal competition.

Opposites

  • 一边倒yì biān dǎoone-sidedadjective
  • 悬殊xuán shūvastly unequaladjective

Word lists with this word