競 meaning and stroke order
To compete, to contend, to vie
How to write 競, stroke by stroke
20 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
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
Meaning of 競
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to compete
- to contend
- to struggle
How 競 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two people 竞 locked in a struggle.
Radical: 立 (to stand), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 競
競 is two 竞 side by side, like two runners standing shoulder to shoulder at the starting line. The data describes it as two people locked in a struggle, so picture them pushing to get ahead.
競 is the traditional form, used in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Mainland China writes 竞. It appears mostly in compounds such as 競爭 (jìngzhēng, competition) and 競賽 (jìngsài, contest). Example: 這家公司的競爭很激烈。(Zhè jiā gōngsī de jìngzhēng hěn jīliè.) The competition at this company is fierce.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 競 (jìng) with 境 (jìng, border or situation) and 鏡 (jìng, mirror), which sound the same but have 土 or 金 on the left. 競 has no side radical, just two matching halves.
Common words with 競
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 競爭 | jìngzhēng | to compete; competition | HSK 5 |
| 競賽 | jìngsài | to compete; to race; contest; competition; match; race | HSK 5 |
| 競選 | jìngxuǎn | to take part in an election; to run for office | HSK 7-9 |
| 競技 | jìngjì | competition of skill (e.g. sports); athletics tournament | HSK 7-9 |
| 競相 | jìngxiāng | competitive; eagerly | HSK 7-9 |
| 競技場 | jìngjìchǎng | arena | |
| 競爭對手 | jìngzhēngduìshǒu | rival; competitor | |
| 競爭者 | jìngzhēngzhě | competitor | |
| 競價 | jìngjià | price competition; bid (in an auction) | |
| 競爭力 | jìngzhēnglì | competitive strength; competitiveness | |
| 競選活動 | jìngxuǎnhuódòng | (election) campaign | |
| 競拍 | jìngpāi | to bid (at an auction); auction |
Questions about 競
How many strokes are in 競?
競 is written with 20 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 競 mean?
競 (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 競?
競 is pronounced jìng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 競?
The radical of 競 is 立, which carries the idea of "to stand". Dictionaries list 競 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 競?
競 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 竞, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 競爭 and 競賽?
競爭 (jìngzhēng) is competition in general, like between companies or job candidates. 競賽 (jìngsài) is an organized contest or race with rules, such as a math competition or a sports match.
How do you say to run for office in Chinese?
Use 競選 (jìngxuǎn). For example, 他競選市長 (tā jìngxuǎn shìzhǎng) means he is running for mayor.