闘とう士し

と

う

し

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to a person who actively fights for a cause, ideal, or in a literal combat role. Often used in political, social, or sports contexts. The gloss 'boxer' is a specific sports usage.

彼かれは自じ由ゆうの闘とう士しとして知しられている。
He is known as a fighter for freedom.
その政せい治じ家かは改かい革かくの闘とう士しを自じ称しょうしている。
The politician calls himself a champion of reform.

See all 13 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の闘とう士しa fighter for (a cause)
彼かれは人じん権けん運うん動どうの闘とう士しとして知しられている。
He is known as a fighter for the human rights movement.
〈人ひと〉が闘とう士しとして戦たたかうto fight as a fighter/champion
彼かの女じょは自じ由ゆうのために闘とう士しとして戦たたかった。
She fought as a champion for freedom.
〈人ひと〉が闘とう士しになるto become a fighter/activist
彼かれはやがて反はん戦せん運うん動どうの闘とう士しになった。
He eventually became a fighter for the anti-war movement.

Kanji

闘fight, war
士gentleman, scholar, samurai

Related words

戦せん士し
戦士 usually means a soldier or warrior in a military or fantasy setting, while 闘士 stresses fighting for a political, social, or sporting cause.
活かつ動どう家か
活動家 is a neutral term for someone engaged in social or political activism, whereas 闘士 carries a more combative, front-line fighter image.
ファイター
ファイター is the casual loanword for a fighter, especially in sports like boxing, while 闘士 is more literary and can apply to political or ideological struggles too.

Don't confuse with

闘とう志し
闘士 is a person who fights for a cause (a fighter), while 闘志 is the abstract fighting spirit or will to fight, despite the identical reading.

Word family

剣けん闘とう士し
gladiator
網あみ闘とう士し
retiarius; net fighter

Etymology

Compound of 闘 (fight) and 士 (person of a certain status or profession). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the early 20th century for fighters in ideological or physical struggles.