抗争|こうそうkousou[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbrivalry; feud; conflict; dispute; struggle; strife; contention; resistance
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 抗争する（こうそうする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 抗争します（こうそうします） |
| Negative (nai) | 抗争しない（こうそうしない） |
| polite (masen) | 抗争しません（こうそうしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 抗争せず・抗争せぬ（こうそうせず・こうそうせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 抗争した（こうそうした） |
| polite (mashita) | 抗争しました（こうそうしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 抗争しなかった（こうそうしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 抗争しませんでした（こうそうしませんでした） |
| Te form | 抗争して（こうそうして） |
| Potential | 抗争できる（こうそうできる） |
| Passive | 抗争される（こうそうされる） |
| Causative | 抗争させる（こうそうさせる） |
| Causative passive | 抗争させられる（こうそうさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 抗争すれば（こうそうすれば） |
| tara | 抗争したら（こうそうしたら） |
| Volitional | 抗争しよう（こうそうしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 抗争しましょう（こうそうしましょう） |
| Imperative | 抗争しろ（こうそうしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym戦いたたかいNeutralThe broadest word: war, matches, and struggles against illness or poverty, as in 「病との戦い」. 「抗争」 is specifically two opposing sides fighting each other.
- Synonym闘争とうそうNeutralFighting to win rights or interests, as in 「労働闘争」「闘争本能」. 「抗争」 stresses mutual confrontation between two sides.
- Synonym争いあらそいNeutralThe most general word: disputes, quarrels, competition, as in 「遺産争い」. 「抗争」 is more written and typical of news reports.
- Synonym衝突しょうとつNeutralOriginally a physical collision; also clashes of opinion or interest and armed clashes, as in 「意見の衝突」. 「抗争」 is deliberate fighting between two sides.
- Synonym争闘そうとうWrittenWritten style, meaning mutual fighting; rare, and close to 「抗争」 in sense. In everyday speech say 「争い」.
- Synonym闘諍とうじょうWrittenWritten, archaic: fighting and quarrelling, found mainly in Buddhist texts and rare today. Say 「争い」 or 「喧嘩」 instead.
- Related戦闘せんとうNeutralActual armed combat, as in 「戦闘機」「戦闘員」, where the focus is on military exchanges of fire. 「抗争」 need not involve force at all.
- Related摩擦まさつNeutralOriginally physical friction; by extension discord over opinions or interests, as in 「貿易摩擦」. Milder than the head-on fighting of 「抗争」.
- Related合戦かっせんNeutralMostly historical battles, as in 「関ヶ原の合戦」, and contests like 「歌合戦」. 「抗争」 never refers to a contest.
- Related交戦こうせんWrittenWritten: warring sides engaging in armed combat, as in 「交戦国」; usually war between nations. 「抗争」 is not necessarily military.
- Related戦うたたかうNeutralVerb: to fight, compete, or struggle against hardship, as in 「敵と戦う」. 「抗争」 is a noun, though 「抗争する」 is also possible.
- Related相克そうこくWrittenWritten: opposing forces repelling each other, mostly abstract ones, as in 「理性と感情の相克」. 「抗争」 usually involves people or groups.
- Related論争ろんそうNeutralPeople with differing views debating each other, as in 「激しい論争」; words only. 「抗争」 can extend to actual action.
- Related争うあらそうNeutralVerb: to compete, contend, or dispute, as in 「首位を争う」. Broader than 「抗争」, covering even friendly competition.
- Related喧嘩けんかCasualQuarrels or fights between individuals or a few people, as in 「兄弟喧嘩」; the everyday colloquial word. 「抗争」 is larger in scale and more written.
- Related修羅しゅらWrittenWritten: bloody carnage and brutal strife, as in 「修羅場」「修羅の道」. Stresses the brutality more than 「抗争」 does.
- Related係争けいそうWrittenWritten legal term for a dispute between parties in litigation, as in 「係争中の事件」. 「抗争」 is general mutual fighting, not tied to lawsuits.
- Related軋轢あつれきWrittenWritten: friction and discord in a relationship, as in 「嫁姑の軋轢」; mostly latent tension, not the open fighting of 「抗争」.
- RelatedバトルCasualLoanword for a match or showdown, as in 「バトル漫画」; mostly games and entertainment, strongly colloquial. 「抗争」 suits serious contexts.
- RelatedやりあうCasualColloquial verb: to quarrel or clash, as in 「上司とやり合う」; mostly between individuals. 「抗争」 is a written noun.
- Related抗うあらがうWrittenWritten verb: to resist or defy, as in 「運命に抗う」. One-sided resistance, whereas 「抗争」 is two sides fighting each other.
- Relatedせめぎ合うせめぎあうNeutralVerb: two sides vying and seesawing against each other, as in 「両勢力がせめぎ合う」; also used of abstract forces. 「抗争」 is a noun, more written.
- Antonym和解わかいNeutralAntonym: ending a fight and making peace, including civil settlements. Opposite of the mutual fighting of 「抗争」.
- Antonym協調きょうちょうNeutralAntonym: opposing sides making concessions and cooperating, as in 「労使協調」. Opposite of the mutual confrontation of 「抗争」.
Use 「抗争」 when two sides oppose and fight each other, as in 「暴力団の抗争」「労使の抗争」. To fight for rights or interests, pick 「闘争」; for ordinary disputes, 「争い」; for quarrels or brawls, 「喧嘩」; for battles fought with words, 「論争」. 「戦い」 is the broadest term, and 「戦闘」 centers on actual armed engagement. The antonyms are 「和解」 and 「協調」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
