Translation guide
How to express 'struggle for' in Japanese, covering physical struggles, striving for goals, and competitive contests.
To make great efforts to obtain or achieve something, often abstract (freedom, rights, success).
A common pattern for 'struggle for' when the object is something like freedom, rights, or justice. 闘う implies a fight or struggle.
彼らは自由を求めて闘った。
They struggled for freedom.
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.
動物たちは水をめぐって争っている。
The animals are struggling for water.
To compete fiercely for a prize, title, or position.
Used when competing for a specific stake, like a championship or contract.
チームは優勝をかけて戦っている。
The team is struggling for the championship.
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.
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.
奮闘する means to struggle hard or strive. Suitable for both concrete and abstract goals.
彼女は成功のために奮闘している。
She is struggling for success.
Literally 'make efforts to win/obtain ~'. Emphasizes the effort to achieve a specific result.
彼は権利を勝ち取るために努力した。
He struggled to win his rights.
Means to struggle painfully or fight hard. Often used in literary or dramatic contexts.
彼は貧困と苦闘した。
He struggled against poverty.
戦う means to fight or battle. Can be used for physical struggles, but also metaphorical ones.
彼らは生き残るために戦った。
They struggled to survive.
Means to become desperate in trying to obtain something. Conveys a frantic struggle.
彼は空気を得ようと必死になった。
He struggled desperately for air.
Directly means 'to compete for ~'. Common in news headlines.
二社が市場シェアを争っている。
Two companies are struggling for market share.
彼は成功のために奮闘した。
He struggled for success.
彼は成功のために奮闘した。
He struggled for success.