Meaning
争 covers every kind of conflict between opposing sides — physical battles, heated arguments, athletic rivalries, courtroom disputes. You'll meet it constantly in news media, legal texts, and casual conversation, which is why it ranks among the most useful kanji at the N2 level.
The character is a compound ideograph (会意文字): two hands pulling on the same object from opposite ends. The upper component resembles 爪 (tsume, claw) — a hand reaching downward — while the lower portion represents the opposing force pulling up. Picture a tug-of-war. That image is baked directly into the kanji's structure.
争 works across a wide range of registers. In historical writing, it describes armed conflict (戦争). In business and sport, it means rivalry (競争). In law, it refers to formal disputes and litigation (係争, 紛争). Day-to-day, the verb 争う (arasou) covers everything from siblings squabbling over a toy to colleagues jostling for a promotion.
Japanese children learn 争 in 4th grade, around age nine or ten. It is a required kanji for the JLPT N2 exam. Six strokes; radical 爪.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi is ソウ (sou), used in almost all compound words (熟語, jukugo). Master this reading and a large slice of formal Japanese vocabulary opens up.
- 戦争 (sensou) — war, armed conflict. The most common compound with 争; essential for news and history.
- 競争 (kyousou) — competition, rivalry. Business, sport, academics — this word turns up everywhere.
- 論争 (ronsou) — controversy, debate. Used for sustained intellectual or political argument.
- 紛争 (funsou) — political or territorial dispute. A staple of international news reporting.
- 闘争 (tousou) — struggle, fight. Appears often in labor-movement and ideological contexts.
- 争点 (souten) — point of contention. A key term in law and political debate.
- 争奪 (soudatsu) — scramble for possession. Used when multiple parties race to claim the same prize.
- 係争 (keisou) — litigation, a case currently under judicial consideration.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi is あらそ(う) (araso(u)). The verb 争う means "to compete," "to dispute," or "to fight." Its noun form, 争い, means "conflict" or "quarrel." Both forms are common in spoken Japanese and literary prose.
- 争う (arasou) — to compete, contend, dispute; the base verb.
- 争い (arasoi) — a dispute, quarrel; covers everything from family arguments to international conflicts.
- 争えない (arasoenai) — undeniable, indisputable. A set expression meaning something "cannot be contested," used to assert an obvious truth.
Common Words & Compounds
Conflict & War
- 戦争 (sensou) — war, armed conflict.
- 紛争 (funsou) — political or territorial dispute.
- 闘争 (tousou) — struggle; common in labor-movement discourse.
- 内争 (naisou) — internal conflict, infighting within an organization.
Competition & Rivalry
- 競争 (kyousou) — competition, rivalry.
- 争奪 (soudatsu) — scramble; multiple parties competing to obtain the same thing.
- 争覇 (souha) — struggle for supremacy or a championship title.
Debate & Legal Dispute
- 論争 (ronsou) — controversy, sustained intellectual or political debate.
- 係争 (keisou) — litigation, a case under judicial review.
- 争点 (souten) — the specific contested matter in a debate or legal case.
- 争議 (sougi) — labor dispute; workplace conflict between management and workers.
Verb Forms
- 争う (arasou) — to compete, dispute, contend.
- 争い (arasoi) — conflict, dispute; the noun form.
Example Sentences
兄と弟はおもちゃを争っている。
Ani to otouto wa omocha wo arasotte iru.
The older brother and younger brother are fighting over a toy.
二国は領土をめぐって争っている。
Ni-koku wa ryoudo wo megutte arasotte iru.
Two countries are competing over territory.
戦争は多くの命を奪う。
Sensou wa ooku no inochi wo ubau.
War takes many lives.
彼女は昇進をめぐって同僚と争っている。
Kanojo wa shoushin wo megutte douryou to arasotte iru.
She is competing with her colleagues for a promotion.
激しい競争の中で勝ち残るのは難しい。
Hageshii kyousou no naka de kachinokoru no wa muzukashii.
Surviving fierce competition is no easy feat.
その問題は今でも論争が続いている。
Sono mondai wa ima demo ronsou ga tsuzuite iru.
The debate over that issue continues even now.
労働争議により、工場は一時閉鎖された。
Roudou sougi ni yori, koujou wa ichiji heisa sareta.
The factory was temporarily closed due to a labor dispute.
遺産をめぐる争いは長年続いた。
Isan wo meguru arasoi wa naganen tsuzuita.
The dispute over the inheritance dragged on for many years.
彼の才能は争えない事実だ。
Kare no sainou wa arasoenai jijitsu da.
His talent is an undeniable fact.
国際紛争を解決するために外交が重要だ。
Kokusai funsou wo kaiketsu suru tame ni gaikou ga juuyou da.
Diplomacy is essential for resolving international disputes.
Memory Tip
Picture two clawed hands (爪) grabbing the same object. The top of the character is a hand reaching down; the bottom is another hand pushing up — two rivals locked in a tug-of-war, neither letting go. That image matches the kanji's origin exactly.
Anchor it with 戦争 (war) — the most extreme form of 争, where entire nations become those two hands. For the kun reading, try: "arasou" sounds like "a race — ow!" — imagine competitors elbowing each other down the final stretch. The pain and struggle sum up 争 perfectly.