competitive spirit; ambitious nature
Archaic noun/adjectival noun describing a person with a strong competitive drive or ambitious temperament. Not used in modern everyday speech; may appear in historical or literary contexts.
He was a man of competitive spirit, striving not to be outdone in anything.
Compound of 気 (spirit, temperament) and 嵩 (bulk, volume), suggesting a 'large spirit' or 'high morale'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the word is now archaic.