戦う・闘う・斗う|たたかうtatakau[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
戦う戦う is the most common and standard written form; beginners should normally choose it when writing this word.
闘う闘う is less common than 戦う and is an alternative written form. Learners should generally choose 戦う instead.
斗う斗う is rarely used, so learners will seldom encounter it. Use 戦う instead when writing this word.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto make war (on); to wage war (against); to go to war (with); to fight (with); to do battle (against)esp. 戦う
- godan verb, intransitive verbto compete (against)esp. 戦う
- godan verb, intransitive verbto struggle (against adversities, etc.); to fight; to contend; to resistesp. 闘う
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 戦う（たたかう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 戦います（たたかいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 戦わない（たたかわない） |
| polite (masen) | 戦いません（たたかいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 戦わず・戦わぬ（たたかわず・たたかわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 戦った（たたかった） |
| polite (mashita) | 戦いました（たたかいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 戦わなかった（たたかわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 戦いませんでした（たたかいませんでした） |
| Te form | 戦って（たたかって） |
| Potential | 戦える（たたかえる） |
| Passive | 戦われる（たたかわれる） |
| Causative | 戦わせる（たたかわせる） |
| Causative passive | 戦わせられる・戦わされる（たたかわせられる・たたかわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 戦えば（たたかえば） |
| tara | 戦ったら（たたかったら） |
| Volitional | 戦おう（たたかおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 戦いましょう（たたかいましょう） |
| Imperative | 戦え（たたかえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym戦闘せんとうWrittenNoun for armed combat between military forces, as in 「戦闘機」; unlike 「戦う」 it never covers contests or struggling against hardship. Written/formal.
- Synonym交戦こうせんWrittenWritten/formal term for two sides engaging each other in battle, as in 「交戦国」; confined to war and military affairs.
- Synonym合戦かっせんNeutralBattles between warrior bands, as in 「関ヶ原の合戦」; also figurative for fierce contests, as in 「歌合戦」.
- Synonym抗戦こうせんWrittenWritten/formal word for fighting back against an incoming enemy, as in 「徹底抗戦」; stresses the side that resists and defends.
- Synonym争うあらそうWrittenSame word as above: 「抗う（あらがう）」, also written 「争う」; to resist and refuse to submit, literary in flavor.
- Synonym歯向かうはむかうCasualColloquial: to turn on and defy someone stronger, as in 「権力に歯向かう」.
- Related闘争とうそうWrittenStruggle over rights or interests, as in 「権力闘争」 and 「労働闘争」; mostly social and political contexts. Written/formal.
- Related楯突くたてつくCasualColloquial: to defy or talk back to a superior or elder, as in 「親に楯突く」; rebellion from below against someone above.
- Related対抗たいこうNeutralTo hold one's own against a rival, as in 「対抗意識」 or 「対抗馬」; stresses refusing to fall behind, not actual combat.
- Related競り合うせりあうNeutralTo battle neck and neck with neither side giving way, as in 「ゴール前で競り合う」; mostly in races and contests.
- Related競い合うきそいあうNeutralTo compete with each other to decide who is better, as in 「技を競い合う」; no armed clash, unlike 「戦う」, which can also mean fighting a war.
- Related喧嘩けんかCasualColloquial word for quarrels or fistfights between individuals, as in 「兄弟喧嘩」; small in scale and casual.
- Related取り組むとりくむNeutralTo tackle a problem in earnest, as in 「課題に取り組む」; originally meant grappling in sumo, with no sense of enmity.
- Related反対はんたいNeutralTo hold or voice an opposing opinion, as in 「計画に反対する」; a stated position, not an actual clash.
- Related競技きょうぎNeutralNoun for a contest decided under set rules, as in 「陸上競技」; 「戦う」 names the act of competing itself.
- Related競争きょうそうNeutralCompetition for victory or superiority, as in 「生存競争」 or 「価格競争」; no force of arms involved.
- Related係争けいそうWrittenLegal term for a dispute between parties in litigation, as in 「係争中」. Written/formal.
- Related抗うあらがうWrittenTo defy or resist an outside force, as in 「運命に抗う」; literary in tone and does not stress direct combat.
- Related争闘そうとうWrittenWritten/formal word for mutual fighting, now rare in modern use; say 「争い」 or 「闘争」 instead.
- RelatedやりあうCasualColloquial: to argue or clash with someone, as in 「上司とやり合う」; usually verbal sparring.
- Related戦わすたたかわすWrittenTransitive: to pit two sides against each other or set a debate going, as in 「議論を戦わす」; limited collocations. Written/formal.
- Antonym和睦するWrittenAntonym: warring or opposing sides making peace and reconciling; strongly written/formal. Opposite of 「戦う」.
- Antonym降伏するWrittenAntonym: to admit defeat and surrender to the other side, the opposite of going on fighting.
「戦う」 covers going to war, competing in a match, and struggling against hardship. For plain competition use 「競争」 or 「競う」; for quarrels and brawls between individuals, 「喧嘩」; for social or political struggles, 「闘争」; for tackling a problem, 「取り組む」. Armed combat between forces takes the nouns 「戦闘」「交戦」「合戦」「抗戦」. Defying a stronger power is 「抗う」「楯突く」「歯向かう」; matching a rival is 「対抗」; vying in a contest is 「競い合う」「競り合う」「競技」. Antonyms: 「和睦する」 to make peace, 「降伏する」 to surrender.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
