grappling; hand-to-hand fight; scuffle
Refers to close-quarters combat where opponents grab each other, often without weapons. Can describe both sportive grappling and real fights.
defeating an enemy in close combat
Historical or literary term for vanquishing a foe on the battlefield, often in hand-to-hand fighting. Rare in modern everyday language.
The two soldiers started grappling with each other.
A scuffle between drunkards broke out in front of the shop.
The warlord made a name for himself by defeating an enemy commander in close combat.
取っ組み合い is a more colloquial and vivid word for a scuffle or tussle, often implying a messy, unrefined fight.
Standard kanji spelling for grappling or hand-to-hand fighting.
Variant spelling; less common than 組み打ち.
Rare spelling using 討 (to attack/defeat), emphasizing defeating an enemy in battle.
Rare variant of 組み討ち.
Formed from 組み, the continuative form of 組む in its sense “to grapple,” and 討ち, “fighting or defeating an opponent.” It denotes close combat or grappling with an enemy.