Translation guide
How to express 'struggle for' in Japanese, covering physical struggles, striving for goals, and competitive contests.
They struggled for freedom.
奮闘する means to struggle hard or strive. Suitable for both concrete and abstract goals.
She is struggling for success.
Literally 'make efforts to win/obtain ~'. Emphasizes the effort to achieve a specific result.
He struggled to win his rights.
Means to struggle painfully or fight hard. Often used in literary or dramatic contexts.
He struggled against poverty.
To fight physically or compete fiercely for necessities like food, water, or territory.
Used when multiple parties compete or fight over something. 争う implies a dispute or contest.
The animals are struggling for water.
戦う means to fight or battle. Can be used for physical struggles, but also metaphorical ones.
Means to become desperate in trying to obtain something. Conveys a frantic struggle.
To compete fiercely for a prize, title, or position.
闘う (tatakau) often implies a struggle against abstract concepts or personal battles. 戦う (tatakau) is more physical or military. 争う (arasou) focuses on competition or dispute over something. For 'struggle for', 闘う and 戦う are common, while 争う is used when multiple parties compete for a limited resource.
struggle for freedom
fight over territory
compete for the gold medal
Directly translating 'struggle for' as 〜のために苦労する is possible but often unnatural. Use patterns like 〜を求めて闘う or 〜のために奮闘する for a more natural expression.
He struggled for success.
They struggled to survive.
He struggled desperately for air.
Two companies are struggling for market share.