对策
duìcè · HSK 7
countermeasure
🛡️ duì cè = facing + strategy — a counter-strategy
对 means 'facing' or 'against,' and 策 means 'plan' or 'strategy.' Together they form the idea of a plan devised to counter a problem — an antidote or countermeasure.
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.