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對偶

简对偶 · 繁對偶

Mandarin · pinyin duì ǒu

dual
duality
antithesis
coupled phrases (as rhetorical device)
spouse

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Characters in this entry

對: duì · correct, right; facing, opposed
偶: ǒu · accidentally, coincidently; an idol
对: duì · correct, right; facing, opposed

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–3 · dui4 ou3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

對偶 · find source passages ↗ · 对偶 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

deoi3 ngau5

Cantonese word readings for 對偶. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

(rhetoric, Chinese linguistics) "Chinese antithesis" (where two phrases, clauses, or sentences of equal length and corresponding lexical category structure to reinforce, contrast, or complement each other in meaning and/or sound)
(mathematics) dual

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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