争 (zhēng) - to contend & to strive

争Tone 1

zhēng ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: ⺈

丈志

争 · zhēng

to contend;

to strive;

to argue;

to dispute;

to compete;

to struggle for

to contendto striveto argue

Usage highlights

to contend forto argueto competeto disputeto strivecontention

Synonyms

  • 夺— to seize; to take by force
  • 抢— to grab; to snatch
  • 竞— to compete; to contest

Antonyms

  • 让— to yield; to concede
  • 和— harmony; peace
  • 退— to retreat; to withdraw

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They are competing for first place (争第一).
  • Don't argue over trivial matters (不要为小事争吵).
  • Strive for progress (争取进步).
  • The two sides are disputing the territory (双方在争夺领土).

Collocations

  • to contend for(争取)
  • to argue(争吵)
  • to compete(竞争)
  • to dispute(争夺)
  • to strive(争气)
  • contention(争辩)

Idioms

  • Striving to be the first and fearing to lag behind(争先恐后)
  • Contending for beauty and fascination(争奇斗艳)
  • Contending for power and profit(争权夺利)
  • A struggle between dragon and tiger(龙争虎斗)
  • Contending openly and maneuvering covertly(明争暗斗)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, 'contention' is often viewed negatively, with harmony being highly valued.
  • The character appears in many idioms reflecting competitive aspects of human society and nature.
  • In modern contexts, it can have positive connotations when referring to striving for improvement or justice.

FAQ