Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Incompatible: Refers to two or more things, people, or characteristics that are fundamentally opposed or cannot exist or work together harmoniously due to inherent conflict or contradiction.
   • Clashing / Conflicting: Describes a state of direct opposition or disharmony, often in terms of personalities, interests, or principles.

2. Verb:

   • To be incompatible / to conflict: The act or state of being in opposition or disharmony. It describes the relationship where elements actively work against each other.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Hai anh em có tính cách xung khắc. (The two brothers have incompatible personalities.)
  • Quan điểm của họ hoàn toàn xung khắc. (Their viewpoints are completely conflicting.)

• Verb:

  • Hai ý tưởng này xung khắc nhau. (These two ideas conflict with each other.)
  • Màu đỏ và màu xanh lá đó xung khắc. (That red and green are clashing.)

Advanced Usage

• Often used in contexts like philosophy, relationships, design, and traditional beliefs (e.g., astrology, feng shui) to describe inherent opposition.
• "xung khắc tuổi": to have incompatible zodiac signs or birth years.
  • Người ta nói tuổi của họ xung khắc. (People say their zodiac signs are incompatible.)

Variants and Related Words

• Xung đột (n/v): Conflict, clash. Often used for larger-scale, active disputes (e.g., armed conflict, ideological conflict).

  • Xung đột lợi ích. (Conflict of interest.)

• Khắc khẩu (adj): Incompatible in speech; frequently bickering or arguing.

  • Hai bà ấy ngồi với nhau là khắc khẩu. (Those two women always bicker when they sit together.)

Synonyms

• Incompatible: Not able to exist or work together.
• Conflicting: In direct opposition.
• Clashing: Disagreeing sharply or discordantly.
• Opposed: Set against each other.

Related Idioms

• Xung khắc như nước với lửa: To be incompatible as water and fire; to be polar opposites.

  • Hai phe đó xung khắc như nước với lửa. (Those two factions are as incompatible as water and fire.)

• Xung khắc về mệnh: To have incompatible destinies or life forces (often from astrology).

  • Họ không lấy nhau vì bói toán nói xung khắc về mệnh. (They didn't marry because fortune-telling said their destinies were incompatible.)

verb

1. be incompatible