Meaning
对方 refers to the other person or group in a two-party situation. It's commonly used in contexts involving relationships, negotiations, competitions, conversations, or any interaction where there are two distinct sides. The term is neutral and can refer to opponents, partners, or simply the person you're interacting with.
Usage
对方 is very common in both spoken and written Chinese. It's used in business negotiations, sports commentary, romantic relationships, legal contexts, and everyday conversations. Native speakers use it to refer to 'the other person' without specifying who that person is by name. It's particularly useful when discussing what the other party thinks, does, or wants.
Examples
- 01在谈判中，我们要考虑对方的立场。, .In negotiations, we need to consider the other party's position.
- 02如果对方不同意，我们就换个方案。, .If the other party doesn't agree, we'll switch to a different plan.
Characters
Common collocations
- 对方说the other party says
- 联系对方to contact the other party
- 尊重对方to respect the other party
- 对方的意见the other party's opinion
Antonyms
Origin
对 means 'facing' or 'opposite' and 方 means 'side' or 'party,' so 对方 literally means 'the facing/opposite side.'