争 meaning and stroke order
To strive for; to vie for; to argue or debate
How to write 争, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 争
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to strive for
- to vie for
- to argue or debate
- deficient or lacking (dialect)
- how or what (literary)
How 争 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Simplified form of 爭, two hands 爪 and 彐 fighting over 亅.
Radical: 亅 (hook), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 争
Picture two hands pulling on one stick: the top ⺈ is a hand reaching down, 彐 is another hand, and the vertical stroke 亅 is the object they both grab. Two hands fighting over one thing means 争 (zhēng), to fight for or contend.
争 usually appears in two-character words like 争取 (zhēngqǔ), 竞争 (jìngzhēng) and 争论 (zhēnglùn), and it can stand alone as a verb meaning to compete for something. Example: 他们在争第一名。(Tāmen zài zhēng dì yī míng.) They are competing for first place.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 争 with 净 (jìng, clean) and 挣 (zhèng or zhēng, to earn or struggle), which both contain 争 as a part. Also keep the first tone: 争 is zhēng, not zhèng like the common reading of 挣 in 挣钱 (zhèngqián, to earn money).
Common words with 争
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 争取 | zhēngqǔ | to fight for; to strive for | HSK 3 |
| 战争 | zhànzhēng | war; conflict | HSK 4 |
| 争论 | zhēnglùn | to argue; to debate | HSK 4 |
| 竞争 | jìngzhēng | to compete; competition | HSK 5 |
| 争议 | zhēngyì | controversy; dispute | HSK 5 |
| 斗争 | dòuzhēng | a struggle; fight | HSK 6 |
| 争夺 | zhēngduó | to fight over; to contest | HSK 6 |
| 争吵 | zhēngchǎo | to quarrel; dispute | HSK 7-9 |
| 抗争 | kàngzhēng | to resist; to make a stand and fight (against) | HSK 7-9 |
| 争执 | zhēngzhí | to dispute; to disagree | HSK 7-9 |
| 争端 | zhēngduān | dispute; controversy | HSK 7-9 |
| 力争 | lìzhēng | to work hard for; to do all one can | HSK 7-9 |
| 争光 | zhēngguāng | to win an honor; to strive to win a prize | HSK 7-9 |
| 争气 | zhēngqì | to work hard for sth; to resolve on improvement | HSK 7-9 |
争 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 争
Learning 争 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 争
How many strokes are in 争?
争 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 争 mean?
争 (zhēng) means to strive for; to vie for; to argue or debate. A common word with it is 争取 (zhēngqǔ), meaning "to fight for; to strive for".
How do you pronounce 争?
争 is pronounced zhēng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 争?
The radical of 争 is 亅, which carries the idea of "hook". Dictionaries list 争 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 争?
The traditional form of 争 is 爭. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 争 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 争 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 争 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 争论 and 争吵?
争论 (zhēnglùn) is arguing or debating about ideas and can be fairly calm. 争吵 (zhēngchǎo) is a noisy, emotional quarrel, like a fight between a couple.
What does 争气 mean?
争气 (zhēngqì) means to work hard and do well so you do not let others down. Parents might say 你要争气 (nǐ yào zhēngqì), meaning you should make us proud.