pair · counter for animals

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 匹 concerns pairing or matching and is also used as a counter for animals.
• Basic usage: 匹敵 is read ひってき and describes performance or skill that rivals another person's or thing's.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• に marks the standard of comparison
  • In 大型機に匹敵する, に marks the large machine as the standard of comparison. The small machine's performance is said to match it.
• Counting animals
  • As an animal counter, 匹 does not mean a pair. 一匹 counts one animal and 二匹 counts two.