奮闘|ふんとうfuntou[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbstrenuous effort; hard struggle; working hard
    人々ひとびとは貧困ひんこんに向むかって奮闘ふんとうした。↗
    People struggled against poverty.
  2. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbhard fighting; fierce fighting
Conjugation
Dictionary form奮闘する(ふんとうする)
Polite (masu)奮闘します(ふんとうします)
Negative (nai)奮闘しない(ふんとうしない)
polite (masen)奮闘しません(ふんとうしません)
classical zu / nu奮闘せず・奮闘せぬ(ふんとうせず・ふんとうせぬ)
Past (ta)奮闘した(ふんとうした)
polite (mashita)奮闘しました(ふんとうしました)
Past negative (nakatta)奮闘しなかった(ふんとうしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)奮闘しませんでした(ふんとうしませんでした)
Te form奮闘して(ふんとうして)
Potential奮闘できる(ふんとうできる)
Passive奮闘される(ふんとうされる)
Causative奮闘させる(ふんとうさせる)
Causative passive奮闘させられる(ふんとうさせられる)
Conditional (ba)奮闘すれば(ふんとうすれば)
tara奮闘したら(ふんとうしたら)
Volitional奮闘しよう(ふんとうしよう)
polite (mashou)奮闘しましょう(ふんとうしましょう)
Imperative奮闘しろ(ふんとうしろ)

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

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym格闘かくとうNeutralHand-to-hand combat, or figuratively wrestling with a hard problem, as in 「問題と格闘する」; it stresses the grappling itself.
  • Related戦いたたかいNeutralA broad word for fighting or struggle of any kind; 「奮闘」 stresses the look of giving it your all, as in 「孤軍奮闘」.
  • Related闘争とうそうWrittenA written, formal word for struggle or conflict, by groups or individuals alike, as in 「権力闘争」「病魔との闘争」; it stresses confrontation.
  • Related苦労くろうNeutralHardship and toil, as in 「苦労をかける」; it is about suffering and effort endured, not the all-out fighting spirit of 「奮闘」.
  • Related戦うたたかうNeutralA verb meaning to fight; 「奮闘」 is a noun that stresses the look of going all out.
  • Related取り組むとりくむNeutralTo tackle something seriously, as in 「課題に取り組む」; it stresses getting to work on a task rather than battling at full strength.
  • Related四苦八苦しくはっくCasualColloquial: to be hard pressed or floundering, as in 「資金繰りに四苦八苦する」; it stresses being at one's wits' end.
  • Related争闘そうとうWrittenA written word for strife or fighting; rare in modern Japanese.
  • Related辛労しんろうWrittenA written word for toil and hardship; rare in modern usage.
  • RelatedあがきCasualColloquial: desperate struggling, as in 「最後の足掻き」; it implies the effort is futile.
  • Antonym怠惰たいだWrittenA written word for laziness; the opposite of the all-out effort of 「奮闘」.
  • Antonym無為むいWrittenA written word for idleness or inaction; the opposite of 「奮闘」.

Use 「奮闘」 for going all out in a struggle, as in 「孤軍奮闘」 or 「奮闘努力」. For general fighting or struggle pick 「戦い」; for grappling with a hard problem, 「格闘」; for hardship and toil, 「苦労」; for being hard pressed, the colloquial 「四苦八苦」. 「闘争」 and 「争闘」 are written-style words for conflict, the latter rare. The antonyms are 「怠惰」 (laziness) and 「無為」 (inaction).

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 力ちからの限かぎり闘たたかったり努力どりょくしたりすること。
Kanji in this word

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

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