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争 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
争
zhēng
to strive for
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
争
zhēng
to vie for
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
争
zhēng
to argue or debate
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
争
zhēng
deficient or lacking (dialect)
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
争
zhēng
how or what (literary)
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
争
zhēng
to dispute, to fight, to contend, to strive
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Hard
zhēng(zheng1)zheng T1
1to strive for
2to vie for
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
争(爭)zhēng(zheng1)
The character 争 (zhēng) primarily means 'to strive for' or 'to contest.' It is commonly used in contexts involving competition, debate, or conflict, such as arguing a point or vying for a position. The nuance of this word can imply an active effort to achieve something, often in a competitive or adversarial manner.
Strokes6Radical亅Frequency#3469DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, competition and striving for success can be seen in various social contexts, from education to business, where 争 often reflects the drive for achievement and excellence.
Memory tip
Imagine two people (representing the two strokes of 争) pulling on opposite ends of a rope, each striving to win the tug-of-war (striving/arguing). Visualize the sound 'zhēng' as they shout out their arguments in the heat of the contest.
Meanings of 争
zhēng(zheng1)
1to strive for
2to vie for
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 争
争Simplified
爭Traditional
6Strokes
亅Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3469Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 争
Podcast: 争
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AI study notes for 争
Quick Contrast
争 (zhēng) vs 斗 (dòu) — use 争 for striving or contesting in a debate context, while 斗 emphasizes physical fighting or struggle.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 争 with similar verbs, such as 争论 (zhēnglùn, to argue) and 争取 (zhēngqǔ, to strive for), which have specific contexts. This character is typically used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of the tone; incorrect tones can change meanings significantly.
HSK Study Tips
While 争 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects with other action-oriented verbs in levels 3 and 4, such as 打 (dǎ, to hit) and 求 (qiú, to seek). Focus on its usage in phrases and compound words to deepen understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 争 when they mean to express a collaborative effort instead of competition. For instance, saying '我们应该争合作' (wǒmen yīnggāi zhēng hézuò, 'we should strive to cooperate') is incorrect; it should be '我们应该合作' (wǒmen yīnggāi hézuò).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 争
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The character 争 (zhēng) primarily means 'to strive for' or 'to contest.' It is commonly used in contexts involving competition, debate, or conflict, such as arguing a point or vying for a position. The nuance of this word can imply an active effort to achieve something, often in a competitive or adversarial manner.
When to use 争
Learners often confuse 争 with similar verbs, such as 争论 (zhēnglùn, to argue) and 争取 (zhēngqǔ, to strive for), which have specific contexts. This character is typically used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of the tone; incorrect tones can change meanings significantly.
争 or something close to it
争 (zhēng) vs 斗 (dòu) — use 争 for striving or contesting in a debate context, while 斗 emphasizes physical fighting or struggle.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 争 when they mean to express a collaborative effort instead of competition. For instance, saying '我们应该争合作' (wǒmen yīnggāi zhēng hézuò, 'we should strive to cooperate') is incorrect; it should be '我们应该合作' (wǒmen yīnggāi hézuò).
Write 争
争
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Practice writing 争 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 争
争 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
To strive for the best grades, she practices for several hours every day.
15
他们为争夺行业的领导地位而不断创新。
Tāmen wèi zhēngduó hángyè de lǐngdǎo dìwèi ér bùduàn chuàngxīn.
They continuously innovate to strive for leadership in the industry.
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Cultural Notes for 争
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of争 (striving) can be seen in various aspects of life, such as education and career. It reflects a highly competitive society where individuals often strive to excel and achieve success.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, competition is often viewed positively as a driver for innovation, while in some Chinese contexts, excessive competition may be seen as disruptive to harmony; hence, this character embodies a complex social dynamic.
Word Family of 争
Compounds13
静jìngstill
净jìngvariant of 淨
挣zhēngsee 掙扎
睁zhēngto open (one's eyes)
筝zhēngguzheng, zither, string instrument
狰zhēngfierce-looking, ferocious
铮zhēngclanging sound; a small gong
峥zhēnghigh, lofty, noble; perilous, steep
诤zhēngto admonish, to warn; to criticize
婙jìng
浄jìng
踭zhēng
鬇zhēng
Words containing this character20
战争zhànzhēngwar戰爭
竞争jìngzhēngto compete競爭
争取zhēngqǔto fight for爭取
斗争dòuzhēngfight鬥爭
争zhēngto vie for爭
争夺zhēngduóto fight over爭奪
竞争力jìngzhēnglìcompetitive strength競爭力
争吵zhēngchǎoto quarrel爭吵
争论zhēnglùnto argue爭論
争霸zhēngbàa power struggle爭霸
争议zhēngyìcontroversy爭議
争执zhēngzhíto dispute爭執
力争lìzhēngto work hard for力爭
抗争kàngzhēngto resist抗爭
争斗zhēngdòuwar爭鬥
争辩zhēngbiàna dispute爭辯
阶级斗争jiējídòuzhēngthe class struggle階級鬥爭
争端zhēngduāndispute爭端
竞争者jìngzhēngzhěcompetitor競爭者
抗日战争kàngrìzhànzhēng(China's) War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945)抗日戰爭
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 争
What does 静 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 争
争 (zhēng) generally refers to striving or competing for something, while 争论 (zhēnglùn) specifically means to argue or debate about a topic. The first is more about competition, and the latter focuses on discussion and differing opinions.
Common phrases with 争 include 争取 (zhēngqǔ), meaning 'to strive for' or 'to fight for', and 争论 (zhēnglùn), meaning 'to argue' or 'debate'. These phrases highlight the competitive or argumentative nature of the character.
You can use 争 (zhēng) in sentences to express competition or conflict. For example, '他们在争第一名' means 'They are vying for the first place.' It can also be used in contexts of argument, like '我们在争这个问题' which means 'We are debating this issue.'
争 (zhēng) means to strive for or to vie for something. It can also refer to arguing or debating. In dialects, it can imply being deficient or lacking. Additionally, it has literary uses meaning 'how' or 'what'.
Common phrases include 争论 (zhēnglùn, to argue), 争取 (zhēngqǔ, to strive for), and 争先恐后 (zhēngxiān kǒnghòu, to vie for the lead).
Yes, 争 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is more commonly found in discussions of competition or conflict.
The pronunciation is zhēng, with a high level tone. Practice saying it in different contexts to become comfortable.
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