HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
争
zhēng
to vie for
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
争
zhēng
to argue or debate
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
争
zhēng
deficient or lacking (dialect)
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
争
zhēng
how or what (literary)
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
争
zhēng
to dispute, to fight, to contend, to strive
HSK 5, v, 6 strokes, radical 亅, rank #3469, Medium
zhēng(zheng1) 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#3469DifficultyMedium
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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
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
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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.
Memory Mnemonic
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.
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.
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.
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
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 争 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 争 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
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.
I'm a bit unsettled tonight. This war thing's upsetting me.
8
这使他们得以参加其中并成为主要竞争者。
zhè shǐ tā mén dé yǐ cān jiā qí zhōng bìng chéng wéi zhǔ yào jìng zhēng zhě。
This puts them in the ballpark and makes them a major player.
9
这场战争必须速战速决，尽量兵不血刃。
zhè cháng zhàn zhēng bì xū sù zhàn sù jué， ， jìn liáng bīng bù xiě。
This war had to be fought fast and relatively bloodlessly.
10
为什么卡梅拉把他扯进这场争论中？
wéi shí mó kǎ méi lā bǎ tā chě jìn zhè cháng zhēng lùn zhōng？
Why should Carmela have dragged him into the argument?
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.
🏮Cultural insight
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.
🌏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jing4still
净jing4variant of 淨
挣zheng1see 掙扎
睁zheng1to open (one's eyes)
筝zheng1guzheng, zither, string instrument
狰zheng1fierce-looking, ferocious
铮zheng1clanging sound; a small gong
峥zheng1high, lofty, noble; perilous, steep
诤zheng1to admonish, to warn; to criticize
婙
浄
踭
鬇
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competitive strength競爭力
争吵zhēngchǎoto quarrel爭吵
争论zhēnglùnto argue爭論
争霸a 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war爭鬥
争辩a dispute爭辯
阶级斗争the class struggle階級鬥爭
争端zhēngduāndispute爭端
竞争者competitor競爭者
抗日战争(China's) War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945)抗日戰爭
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
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.
