作对
zuò duì · HSK 7
to set oneself against
⚔️ 作对 = 作 make + 对 pair/opposite: to make yourself someone's opposite, to oppose
对 means both pair and opposite, so 作对 splits two ways: making a pair, or making yourself the opposing side. The hostile sense dominates: to set oneself against, to deliberately go against someone.
作 — person radical 亻 + 乍
作 combines the person radical 亻 with 乍, which originally depicted a sudden action or making something. The character means 'to do, make, or create,' with 亻 indicating human activity and 乍 supplying the sound. Over time it broadened to cover works, deeds, and acting as something.
对 — 又 (hand) + 寸 (measure/rule)
Originally depicted a hand (又) holding or responding to something, with 寸 added as a phonetic-semantic element suggesting measured action. The traditional form 對 showed a hand presenting an object in reply, giving the core sense of 'to answer' or 'face toward.' Modern meanings like 'correct' and 'pair' grew from this idea of matching response.