爭 (zhēng) - to contend & to strive

爭Tone 1

zhēng ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 爫

丈志

爭 · zhēng

to contend;

to strive;

to argue;

to dispute;

to fight for;

to compete

to contendto striveto argue

Usage highlights

to competeto disputeto contend forto argueto strive fordispute

Synonyms

  • 斗— to fight; to struggle
  • 竞— to compete; to contest
  • 夺— to seize; to contend for

Antonyms

  • 让— to yield; to concede
  • 和— harmony; peace
  • 协— to cooperate; to coordinate

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They are competing for the championship (爭奪冠軍).
  • The two sides are arguing (爭論).
  • We must strive for victory (爭取勝利).
  • There's no need to quarrel over small matters (不必爭執小事).

Collocations

  • to compete(競爭)
  • to dispute(爭議)
  • to contend for(爭奪)
  • to argue(爭論)
  • to strive for(爭取)
  • dispute(爭執)

Idioms

  • Contend for supremacy(爭強好勝)
  • Strive to be the first(爭先恐後)
  • Contend with each other(明爭暗鬥)
  • Struggle for power and profit(爭權奪利)
  • Contend for beauty and glamour(爭奇鬥豔)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, contention is often viewed as undesirable, with harmony being prized.
  • The character appears in many philosophical texts discussing the nature of conflict and competition.
  • In modern contexts, it reflects competitive spirit in business and sports.

FAQ