競う

• Reading: きそう
• Romaji: kisou
• Kanji breakdown: 競 (kyou/kei) — compete, rival, race
• Pronunciation: /ki.so.ɯ/

Meaning

To compete; to vie with others; to strive against rivals for superiority, a prize, or recognition.

A Group 1 (godan) verb expressing active, healthy competition. Unlike 争う (to quarrel or fight), 競う focuses on the positive dimension of striving to be the best. Often used in the pattern 〜を競う (to compete for ~). The reciprocal form 競い合う (to compete with each other) is very common. Used across sports, business, academia, and artistic fields. Carries no inherently negative connotation.

Examples

1. 各国の代表チームが金メダルを競い合う、激しい試合が続いている。 Intense matches continue as national teams from around the world compete with each other for the gold medal.
2. 国内の有力企業が市場のトップシェアを競って、激しい価格戦争が起きた。 Leading domestic companies competed for the top market share, sparking a fierce price war.
3. 才能を競うのではなく、互いの強みを活かして協力することが大切だ。 Rather than competing on talent alone, what matters is cooperating by leveraging each other's strengths.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, business, academia, politics

Tone: energetic

Origin & History

From 競 meaning to race side by side, derived from the image of two people running in parallel vying for the lead. The character depicts two standing figures facing each other.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes