競う|きそうkisou[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto compete; to contend; to vie; to contest
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 競う（きそう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 競います（きそいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 競わない（きそわない） |
| polite (masen) | 競いません（きそいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 競わず・競わぬ（きそわず・きそわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 競った（きそった） |
| polite (mashita) | 競いました（きそいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 競わなかった（きそわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 競いませんでした（きそいませんでした） |
| Te form | 競って（きそって） |
| Potential | 競える（きそえる） |
| Passive | 競われる（きそわれる） |
| Causative | 競わせる（きそわせる） |
| Causative passive | 競わせられる・競わされる（きそわせられる・きそわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 競えば（きそえば） |
| tara | 競ったら（きそったら） |
| Volitional | 競おう（きそおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 競いましょう（きそいましょう） |
| Imperative | 競え（きそえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym競り合うせりあうNeutralFor closely matched, neck-and-neck contention — races, elections, sales figures, as in 「ゴール前で競り合う」. Stresses that neither side can gain the upper hand.
- Synonym競い合うきそいあうNeutralCompeting against each other, with an image of the two sides pushing and chasing one another, as in 「技を競い合う」.
- Synonym争うあらそうNeutralBroader: fighting over something or quarrelling, and it can carry open hostility. 「競う」 is narrower — pitting yourself against another to see who is better.
- Synonym競るせるNeutralFierce scrambling for something, and bidding at auction, as in 「ゴール前で競る」 or 「競り落とす」.
- Synonym競合きょうごうNeutralCompetition between companies or products, or things conflicting with each other; leans toward business usage.
- Synonym張り合うはりあうNeutralColloquial: two rivals each refusing to give an inch. 「競う」 reaches further, also covering contests of skill or beauty.
- Related比べるくらべるNeutralTo compare or contrast, and by extension to match skills; the focus is on measuring, not necessarily on competing.
- Related戦うたたかうNeutralTo fight or do battle, in war or in a match; more openly adversarial than 「競う」.
- Related競争きょうそうNeutralA noun covering competition in the broadest sense, as in 「競争社会」; 「競う」 is the verb form.
- Related対抗たいこうNeutralStanding up to or matching a rival, as in 「対抗馬」 or 「クラス対抗」.
- Related立ち合うたちあうNeutralTo face an opponent head-on in a match; a specialized term for combat sports and martial arts. 「競う」 can compare skill or results without a direct face-off.
- Related挑むいどむNeutralTo challenge a strong rival or a hard problem; stresses taking the initiative.
- Related戦わすたたかわすNeutralTo pit two sides against each other; mostly seen in 「議論を戦わす」.
- Antonym譲るゆずるNeutralAntonym: to give way or hand something over to another — the opposite of vying to be first.
- Antonym協力するNeutralAntonym: to cooperate or work together — the opposite of competing against each other.
Use 「競う」 for pitting skill or superiority against another, as in 「技を競う」 or 「美しさを競う」. For the noun, say 「競争」; for a dead-heat struggle, 「競り合う」; for two rivals refusing to give ground, 「張り合う」. 「争う」 is broader and can imply hostility, 「戦う」 is more combative, and 「挑む」 stresses issuing a challenge. The opposites are 「協力する」 (cooperate) and 「譲る」 (yield).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
