争
contend, dispute, argue
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
Kun'yomi
- あらそ.う
- いか.でか
Meaning
争 centers on two sides pulling against each other: contending, disputing, or arguing over something.
Most common words using 争
20 of 360- 戦争せんそうN4
war
- 競争きょうそうN4
competition; contest; rivalry; race
- 争いあらそいN2
fight; dispute; feud; conflict; struggle; strife; discord; argument; quarrel; controversy
- 争うあらそうN3
to compete; to contest; to contend
- 紛争ふんそうN1
dispute; conflict; trouble; unrest; strife
- 論争ろんそうN3
dispute; controversy; debate; argument; taking issue
- 闘争とうそうN1
fight; battle; combat; conflict
- 抗争こうそうN1
rivalry; feud; conflict; dispute; struggle; strife; contention; resistance
- 争奪そうだつ
struggle (for); scramble; contest
- 太平洋戦争たいへいようせんそう
Pacific War (1941-1945)
- 争点そうてん
point at issue
- 南北戦争なんぼくせんそう
American Civil War (1861-1865)
- 係争けいそう
dispute; contention; conflict; controversy
- 政争せいそう
political strife
- 争議そうぎN1
dispute; quarrel; strike
- 言い争いいいあらそいN3
a quarrel; argument
- 戊辰戦争ぼしんせんそう
Boshin War (Japanese civil war between Imperial and shogunate forces; 1868-1869)
- 言い争ういいあらそう
to quarrel; to dispute
- 競争心きょうそうしん
competitive spirit
- 争乱そうらん
conflict; strife
Study
Etymology
争 is the simplified form of 爭, which originally depicted two hands (爪) pulling on a rope or object, representing a struggle or contention.
Meaning mnemonic
The top ⺈ looks like a claw pulling one way, and the lower part resembles a hand pulling the other way. Imagine two people tugging on the same thing, arguing over who gets it.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, picture two people arguing so loudly that their voices sound like a saw cutting wood: saw -> ソウ, and the back-and-forth motion mirrors the dispute.