Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation 競う · godan verb (-u)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 競きそ う 競きそ わない Polite 競きそ います 競きそ いません Past polite 競きそ いました 競きそ いませんでした Past 競きそ った 競きそ わなかった Te-form 競きそ って 競きそ わないで Desire 競きそ いたい 競きそ いたくない Potential 競きそ える 競きそ えない Passive 競きそ われる 競きそ われない Causative 競きそ わせる 競きそ わせない Causative passive 競きそ わせられる also 競きそ わされる 競きそ わせられない also 競きそ わされない Volitional 競きそ おう Polite volitional 競きそ いましょう Imperative 競きそ え 競きそ うな Conditional 競きそ えば 競きそ わなければ Tara conditional 競きそ ったら 競きそ わなかったら
Pairs with 競る › Usage patterns 〈 相あい 手て 〉 と 競きそ う to compete with an opponent
He competed against his longtime rival.
〈 事こと 〉 を 競きそ う to compete over something (speed, skill, quality, etc.)
The two of them competed over speed.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 で 技わざ を 競きそ う to compete in one's skills at a venue/event
The athletes competed with their skills at the tournament.
Kanji 競 emulate, compete with, bid Transitive / intransitive Related words· 8 争う can be transitive and often implies a more direct conflict or dispute, while 競う is intransitive and focuses on rivalry in skill or performance.
競争する is a more formal or systematic word for 'compete' (e.g., in a race or market), while 競う is slightly more literary and emphasizes vying for superiority.
張り合う highlights a personal, often stubborn rivalry between two people, while 競う is a more neutral term for competing in skill or performance.
競う is a general verb for competing or rivaling, while 競り合う stresses a close, often physical struggle for a specific prize or spot.
Show 4 more Show fewer 競う is the general, everyday verb for competing at anything, while 競る usually points to a specific bidding or auction contest.
競う simply means to compete, while 競い合う stresses that both sides are mutually striving against each other at the same time.
競う focuses on competing to win, typically in sports or contests, while 戦う can also describe literal armed combat or a broader struggle.
競う emphasizes rivalry and trying to win, whereas 比べる (in its competing sense) focuses on simply measuring one's ability against another's.
Written forms 競きそ う Usage 96%
Standard kanji spelling for competing or vying.
きそう Usage 4%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Etymology The kanji 競 originally depicts two people competing. The verb きそう is a native Japanese word with the same meaning; the exact derivation is uncertain.
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