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競 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
jìngto compete, to contend, to viezg, 20 strokes, radical 立, rank #45685, Very Hard
jìng(jing4) T4
  1. 1to compete, to contend, to vie
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March 24, 2026

jìng(jing4)

The character 競 (jìng) means to compete or contend, commonly used in contexts involving rivalry, contests, or competitions, such as sports and academic settings. It conveys a sense of striving for superiority or excellence against others.

Strokes20RadicalFrequency#45685DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, competition is often highlighted in educational settings, where students are encouraged to excel and outperform their peers, reflecting the value placed on academic achievement and success.

Memory Tip

Imagine two athletes in a race, both eager to reach the finish line first. The character 競 looks like two figures racing towards each other, with the '亻' on the left representing people and '京' on the right suggesting a place of competition, like a stadium.

Meanings of 競

jìng(jing4)
1to compete, to contend, to vie
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 競

Simplified
20Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 競

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 競

Quick Contrast

競 (jìng) vs 赛 (sài) — use 競 when emphasizing competition or rivalry, while 赛 focuses on the event or match itself.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine two athletes in a race, both eager to reach the finish line first. The character 競 looks like two figures racing towards each other, with the '亻' on the left representing people and '京' on the right suggesting a place of competition, like a stadium.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 競, as using the incorrect tone can change its meaning. Common collocations include 競爭 (jìngzhēng), meaning competition, and 競賽 (jìngsài), meaning contest or competition. The word is used in both formal and informal contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 競 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it can be linked to other words related to competition and rivalry, such as 競爭 (jìngzhēng) and 比賽 (bǐsài). Focus on how 競 is used in compound words to deepen understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, competition is often highlighted in educational settings, where students are encouraged to excel and outperform their peers, reflecting the value placed on academic achievement and success.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 競 (jìng) with 竞 (jìng), which is a simplified form. Ensure to recognize and use the correct character in writing. Additionally, some may incorrectly use it in non-competitive contexts, such as saying '我今天在工作中競' instead of '我今天在工作中競爭'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 競

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Etymology of 競

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 競. Pictograph of two people side-by-side competing with each other.

Memory Hint

Two people 竞 locked in a struggle

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 競?

Decomposition of 競

IDS Structure⿰竞竞
Full Character
=
jing4
left
jing4
right
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 競?

Write 競

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 競

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, competition is often highlighted in educational settings, where students are encouraged to excel and outperform their peers, reflecting the value placed on academic achievement and success.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While competition is also valued in Western cultures, it often emphasizes individualism, whereas in Chinese culture, group harmony and collective success can be equally important, leading to different approaches to competition.

Word Family of 競

Words Containing This Character20
竞争jìngzhēngto compete競爭
竞选jìngxuǎnto run for office競選
竞赛jìngsàirace競賽
竞争力competitive strength競爭力
jìngto compete
竞技jìngjìathletics tournament競技
竞争者competitor競爭者
竞价price competition競價
竞技场arena競技場
竞猜quiz game競猜
竞相jìngxiāngcompetitive競相
竞争性competitive競爭性
竞逐competition競逐
竞走walking race (athletics event)競走
物竞天择natural selection物競天擇
竞渡boat race競渡
竞技性competitive競技性
竞秀beauty contest競秀
竞艳beauty contest競艷
竞赛者player競賽者
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 竞争 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 競

You pronounce it as 'jìng' with a falling tone.