势均力敌

shì jūn lì dí

evenly matched; neck and neck

Character by character

势shì
force

均jūn
equal

力lì
strength

敌dí
match

两个队势均力敌，比赛一直打到最后一分钟才分出胜负。

The two teams were evenly matched, and the game was decided only in the final minute.

Tone: neutral.

For two sides of equal strength: teams, players, armies, companies, candidates. 敌 here means “to match”, not “enemy”.

Learn this in Lesson 23 · HSK 5: 国球：乒乓球 (Ping-pong, the national game)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.