竞 meaning and stroke order
To compete, to contend, to vie
How to write 竞, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 竞
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to compete
- to contend
- to struggle
How 竞 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To stand up 立 to a foe 兄.
Radical: 立 (to stand), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 竞
竞 is 立 (lì, to stand) on top of 兄 (xiōng, older brother). Picture standing up 立 to face a rival 兄, ready to compete.
竞 almost never appears alone in modern Chinese. It shows up in words like 竞争 (jìngzhēng, competition), 竞赛 (jìngsài, contest) and 竞选 (jìngxuǎn, to run for office). Example: 这个行业竞争很激烈。(Zhège hángyè jìngzhēng hěn jīliè.) Competition in this industry is fierce.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 竞 (jìng) with 竟 (jìng, unexpectedly, as in 竟然). They sound the same, but 竟 has 音 on top of 儿, while 竞 has 立 on top of 兄.
Common words with 竞
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 竞争 | jìngzhēng | to compete; competition | HSK 5 |
| 竞赛 | jìngsài | to compete; to race; contest; competition; match; race | HSK 5 |
| 竞选 | jìngxuǎn | to take part in an election; to run for office | HSK 7-9 |
| 竞技 | jìngjì | competition of skill (e.g. sports); athletics tournament | HSK 7-9 |
| 竞相 | jìngxiāng | competitive; eagerly | HSK 7-9 |
| 竞技场 | jìngjìchǎng | arena | |
| 竞争对手 | jìngzhēngduìshǒu | rival; competitor | |
| 竞争者 | jìngzhēngzhě | competitor | |
| 竞价 | jìngjià | price competition; bid (in an auction) | |
| 竞争力 | jìngzhēnglì | competitive strength; competitiveness | |
| 竞选活动 | jìngxuǎnhuódòng | (election) campaign | |
| 竞拍 | jìngpāi | to bid (at an auction); auction |
竞 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 竞
Learning 竞 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 竞
How many strokes are in 竞?
竞 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 竞 mean?
竞 (jìng) means to compete, to contend, to vie. A common word with it is 竞争 (jìngzhēng), meaning "to compete; competition".
How do you pronounce 竞?
竞 is pronounced jìng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 竞?
The radical of 竞 is 立, which carries the idea of "to stand". Dictionaries list 竞 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 竞?
The traditional form of 竞 is 競. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 竞 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 竞 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 竞 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 竞争 and 竞赛?
竞争 (jìngzhēng) is competition in general, such as between companies or job seekers. 竞赛 (jìngsài) is an organized contest or match with rules, like a math competition or a race.
How do you say "to run for president" with 竞?
Use 竞选 (jìngxuǎn) followed by the position: 竞选总统 (jìngxuǎn zǒngtǒng), to run for president. The same pattern works for other offices, such as 竞选市长 (jìngxuǎn shìzhǎng), to run for mayor.