竞赛

• Pinyin: jìng sài
• Hanzi breakdown: 竞 = 立 (stand) + 兄 (elder brother) × 2, depicting two people standing to compete; 赛 = 宀 (roof) + 贝 (shell/money) components

Meaning

To compete; competition or contest. Refers to organized competitive events.

Typically used for formal competitions with clear rules and outcomes, such as academic contests, sports events, or skill-based challenges. More formal than 比赛, often implying a higher level of organization or significance.

Examples

1. 他在全国数学竞赛中获得了一等奖。 He won first prize in the national mathematics competition.
2. 各个部门正在竞赛，看谁能先完成销售目标。 All departments are competing to see who can reach the sales target first.
3. 这次知识竞赛的题目涵盖了历史、地理和文学。 The questions in this knowledge contest covered history, geography, and literature.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, sports, workplace

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们学校每年都会举办英语竞赛。(Our school holds an English competition every year.)
• 竞赛的结果下周公布。(The competition results will be announced next week.)

Don't Say

• 我们朋友之间搞个竞赛吧。(For casual friendly contests, use 比赛 instead — 竞赛 sounds too formal)

Origin & History

竞 (jìng, compete) + 赛 (sài, race/competition). Both characters relate to competitive activities, reinforcing the meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal