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Kotomora

争

contend, dispute, argue

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 500Strokes6

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

Explore all words using 争 →

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.