争 zhēng contend
contend; to fight; to strive; to argue or debate
How to remember 争: ⺈ bow + 彐 snout + 亅 hook = contend. Two brothers grab the same toy bow, the dog pushes its snout in, the coat hook falls off the wall, and they contend over it all afternoon.
Component breakdown
争 = ⺈ bow + 彐 snout + 亅 hook
- ⺈ bow
- 彐 snout
- 亅 hook
Two brothers grab the same toy bow, the dog pushes its snout in, the coat hook falls off the wall, and they contend over it all afternoon.
How it came to be
Two hands, pulling at the same thing from opposite sides. One reaches down, one reaches up, and whatever they want is between them.
How it is used
- To contend/fight over/strive - 争取 (zhēngqǔ) strive for/win over, 争论 (zhēnglùn) argue/debate.
- 争取 (zhēngqǔ) = actively work to gain: 争取时间 (zhēngqǔ shíjiān) buy/gain time, 争取机会 (zhēngqǔ jīhuì) go for the chance.
- 争吵 (zhēngchǎo) is a heated quarrel; 战争 (zhànzhēng) is war.
Characters built with 争
Words with 争
- 竞争jìngzhēngcompeteHSK 4
- 争取zhēngqǔto fight forHSK 5
- 争吵zhēngchǎoto quarrelHSK 6
- 争夺zhēngduóto fight overHSK 6
- 争议zhēngyìcontroversyHSK 6
- 争论zhēnglùnto argueHSK 6
- 战争zhànzhēngwarHSK 6
- 斗争dòuzhēnga struggleHSK 6
- 争先恐后zhēngxiān-kǒnghòustriving to be first and fearing to be lastHSK 7
- 争光zhēngguāngto win an honorHSK 7
- 争气zhēngqìto work hard for somethingHSK 7
- 争相zhēngxiāngto fall over each other in their eagerness to...HSK 7
- 力争lìzhēngto work hard forHSK 7
- 争分夺秒zhēngfēn-duómiǎoliterally fight minutes, snatch secondsHSK 8
- 争执zhēngzhíto disputeHSK 8
- 争端zhēngduāndisputeHSK 8
- 争辩zhēngbiàna disputeHSK 8
- 抗争kàngzhēngto resistHSK 8
Example sentences
- 比赛中双方竞争得很激烈。 Bǐsài zhōng shuāngfāng jìngzhēng de hěn jīliè.Both sides competed fiercely in the game.
- 他们赢了这次战斗，但输了这场战争 Tāmen yíngle zhè cì zhàndòu, dàn shūle zhè chǎng zhànzhēngThey won the battle but lost the war .