喧嘩・諠譁|けんかkenka[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N4approx.Common
Which spelling to use
喧嘩喧嘩 is the more common written form; beginners should choose it when writing this word.
諠譁諠譁 is a rarely used kanji-only variant, so learners should choose 喧嘩 instead.
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbquarrel; brawl; fight; squabble; scuffle; argument
    ケンとけんかしたのか。↗
    Did you have a fight with Ken?
Conjugation
Dictionary form喧嘩する(けんかする)
Polite (masu)喧嘩します(けんかします)
Negative (nai)喧嘩しない(けんかしない)
polite (masen)喧嘩しません(けんかしません)
classical zu / nu喧嘩せず・喧嘩せぬ(けんかせず・けんかせぬ)
Past (ta)喧嘩した(けんかした)
polite (mashita)喧嘩しました(けんかしました)
Past negative (nakatta)喧嘩しなかった(けんかしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)喧嘩しませんでした(けんかしませんでした)
Te form喧嘩して(けんかして)
Potential喧嘩できる(けんかできる)
Passive喧嘩される(けんかされる)
Causative喧嘩させる(けんかさせる)
Causative passive喧嘩させられる(けんかさせられる)
Conditional (ba)喧嘩すれば(けんかすれば)
tara喧嘩したら(けんかしたら)
Volitional喧嘩しよう(けんかしよう)
polite (mashou)喧嘩しましょう(けんかしましょう)
Imperative喧嘩しろ(けんかしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym諍いいさかいWrittenWritten word for a quarrel or dispute, as in 「小さな諍い」; has a literary flavor.
  • Synonym口論こうろんNeutralA verbal dispute, as in 「口論になる」; words only, and a shade more formal than 「喧嘩」.
  • Synonym言い争いいいあらそいNeutralMutual arguing, as in 「言い争いが絶えない」; words only, no physical fight.
  • SynonymいざこざCasualColloquial word for small disputes or friction, as in 「家庭内のいざこざ」.
  • Synonym争いあらそいNeutralCovers contention and rivalry as well as disputes, as in 「相続争い」; a far broader range than 「喧嘩」.
  • Synonym言い合いいいあいCasualColloquial word for people arguing back and forth, as in 「言い合いになる」; strictly verbal, no blows exchanged.
  • Synonym悶着もんちゃくWrittenWritten word for a dispute or trouble, as in 「一悶着ある」; stresses the stir or commotion a quarrel causes.
  • Synonym口争いくちあらそいNeutralVerbal quarreling, close to 「口論」; a more native-Japanese turn of phrase.
  • Related争うあらそうNeutralRead 「あらがう」, it means to resist or defy, as in 「運命に抗う」 — not mutual quarreling; read 「あらそう」, it means to fight or contend.
  • Related論争ろんそうWrittenWritten word for debate or controversy over ideas or scholarship, as in 「論争を巻き起こす」.
  • Related確執かくしつWrittenWritten word for long-standing discord where neither side yields, as in 「親子の確執」.
  • RelatedやりあうCasualColloquial verb for going at each other in a fight or argument, as in 「激しくやり合う」.
  • Related言い争ういいあらそうNeutralVerb for quarreling, as in 「些細なことで言い争う」; words only, no blows.
  • Antonym仲直りなかなおりNeutralThe opposite of 「喧嘩」: making up and being friends again, as in 「喧嘩してすぐ仲直り」.
  • Antonym和解わかいWrittenThe opposite of 「喧嘩」: a settlement or reconciliation, in written or formal prose, as in 「和解が成立する」.

For quarrels or fights, 「喧嘩」 is the default. For words-only arguments use 「口論」 or 「言い争い」; for small disputes 「いざこざ」; for debates over ideas 「論争」; for long-running discord 「確執」. Making up is 「仲直り」, a formal settlement 「和解」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. (原義げんぎ・古語こご)大声おおごえで騒さわぐ。
  2. 個人こじん間かん又または少人数しょうにんずうの間あいだで相手あいてを屈服くっぷくさせようと、言い争いいあらそう乃至ないし殴なぐりあうなどして争あらそうこと。
  3. (比喩的ひゆてき)険悪けんあくな状態じょうたいにあること。
  4. (比喩ひゆ、多おおくは複合語ふくごうごで)秩序ちつじょだたず勢いきおいだけで攻め立せめたてる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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