抗

Active struggle or counter-pressure; to resist, oppose, defy, or reject. In some contexts, it indicates parity or a stalemate ("to match" or "to counterbalance"). In very early texts, it may denote physical elevation, such as lifting or raising the head or arms.

Primarily transitive, typically requiring an object (e.g., a decree or social hierarchy). When appearing without a clear object, it may describe a general state of belligerence or stubbornness.

Contrast with 拒 (jù), which emphasizes refusal or the act of blocking, and 逆 (nì), which emphasizes directionality—acting contrary to nature, authority, or "the grain."

If a sense of defiance feels forced in an archaic passage, test whether the author is describing a physical gesture of stretching upward.