Explore 争 in words for arguing, conflict and competition. Learn each reading with its whole word.

The idea

争 has six strokes. The verb 争う is read あらそう; compounds such as 戦争 and 競争 use そう. Follow the linked stroke-order diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
争うあらそうThe children argued over a toy.
戦争せんそうMy grandfather experienced the war.
競争きょうそうCompetition in this market is intense.
争いあらそいWe resolved the dispute through discussion.

Examples

  • 二ふたつの会社かいしゃが客きゃくを争あらそっています。The two companies compete for customers.
  • 子こどもたちはおもちゃを争あらそいました。The children argued over a toy.
  • 祖父そふは戦争せんそうを経験けいけんしました。My grandfather experienced the war.
  • この市場しじょうでは競争きょうそうが激はげしいです。Competition in this market is intense.
  • 私わたしたちは話はなし合あいで争あらそいを解決かいけつしました。We resolved the dispute through discussion.
  • 二ふたつのチームが一位いちいを争あらそっています。The two teams compete for first place.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

競争 can mean peaceful competition; 戦争 means war, not an ordinary contest. 争う can describe a disagreement or a contest depending on context.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 争う in hiragana.

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    あらそう

    争う is read あらそう: the verb can describe arguing over a toy.

  2. Write the reading of 戦争 in hiragana.

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    せんそう

    戦争 is read せんそう: it means war, as in the sentence about a grandfather.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: 競＿（きょうそう）［争／急］.

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    争

    争 completes 競争（きょうそう）, meaning competition; it need not involve a fight.

Use it today

Write 争 in stroke order, then cover the readings and make a sentence with 競争.