勝ち取る

• Reading: かちとる
• Romaji: kachitoru
• Kanji breakdown: 勝 (shou/ka) — win, overcome; 取 (shu/to) — take, obtain, gain
• Pronunciation: /ka.tɕi.to.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To win; to gain; to secure; to achieve through struggle and determination.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb from 勝つ (to win) and 取る (to take, to obtain). Conjugates as 勝ち取ら-ない, 勝ち取り-ます. Implies earning something through real effort or struggle, not merely receiving it. Common in contexts of competitive success, rights movements, and achievement under adversity.

Examples

1. 労働者たちは長年の交渉の末に賃上げを勝ち取った。 After years of negotiations, the workers finally won a wage increase.
2. チームは最後まで諦めず、延長戦で見事に優勝を勝ち取った。 The team never gave up and brilliantly secured the championship in overtime.
3. 活動家たちが法的平等を勝ち取るまでには、長い歳月がかかった。 It took many long years for the activists to win legal equality.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, politics, labour, achievement

Tone: triumphant

Origin & History

Compound of 勝つ (katsu, to win, to overcome) and 取る (toru, to take, to obtain). The combined meaning emphasises not merely winning but actively seizing what one has hard-fought for.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal