How to say "hostilities" in Japanese

• 交戦こうせんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers hostilities in the sense of active armed engagement between opposing forces — the fighting itself. As the common word, it is the default choice when 'hostilities' means combat or a state of war between sides.
  わが軍ぐんは敵てきと交戦こうせんした。↗

  Our troops engaged with the enemy.
• 兵端へいたん
  nounRefers to the beginning of hostilities — the outbreak of fighting rather than the fighting itself. A less common word; choose it only when the emphasis is on how hostilities started.
• 対敵たいてき
  noun, suru verbReally means confronting the enemy — facing an opposing force — and its link to 'hostilities' is indirect. A less common word that is seldom the one you want when translating 'hostilities' as warfare.

Use 交戦 for hostilities as actual armed engagement between opposing forces; 兵端 for the outbreak or beginning of hostilities; 対敵 is a less common term for confronting the enemy and rarely the right choice for 'hostilities' itself.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 交戦こうせんwar
• 兵端へいたんhostilities
• 対敵たいてきconfronting the enemy