pīnyīn 
pin1yin1 
ㄓㄨㄧㄣ 
 
simplified 
traditional 
 
争 
爭 
zheng1 
 
 
to strive for; to vie for; to argue or debate; deficient or lacking (dialect); how or what (literary) 
 
strokes 
6 
 
radical 
 
 
strokes after radical 
5 
 
百花齐放,百家争鸣 
百花齊放,百家爭鳴 
bai3 hua1 qi2 fang4 - bai3 jia1 zheng1 ming2 
 
 
a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend (idiom); refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BC, but adopted for Mao's campaign of 1956 
百家争鸣 
百家爭鳴 
bai3 jia1 zheng1 ming2 
 
 
a hundred schools of thought contend (idiom); refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BC 
辩争 
辯爭 
bian4 zheng1 
 
 
to argue; to dispute 
丙子战争 
丙子戰爭 
bing3 zi3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
second Manchu invasion of Korea (1636) 
布匿战争 
布匿戰爭 
bu4 ni4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the three Punic Wars (264-146 BC) between Rome and Carthage 
不争 
不爭 
bu4 zheng1 
 
 
widely known; incontestable; undeniable; to not strive for; to not contend for 
不蒸馒头争口气 
不蒸饅頭爭口氣 
bu4 zheng1 man2 tou5 zheng1 kou3 qi4 
 
 
not to be crushed (idiom); to be determined to have one's revenge 
不争气 
不爭氣 
bu4 zheng1 qi4 
 
 
to be disappointing; to fail to live up to expectations 
不正当竞争 
不正當競爭 
bu4 zheng4 dang4 jing4 zheng1 
 
 
unfair competition; illicit competition 
朝鲜战争 
朝鮮戰爭 
chao2 xian3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Korean war (1950-1953) 
楚汉相争 
楚漢相爭 
chu3 han4 xiang1 zheng1 
 
 
see 楚漢戰爭|楚汉战争 
楚汉战争 
楚漢戰爭 
chu3 han4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Chu-Han Contention (206-202 BC), power struggle between Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 of Han and Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽 of Chu 
触斗蛮争 
觸鬥蠻爭 
chu4 dou4 man2 zheng1 
 
 
constant bickering and fighting (idiom); constantly at each other's throats; struggle for personal gain 
丁卯战争 
丁卯戰爭 
ding1 mao3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
first Manchu invasion of Korea (1627) 
斗争 
鬥爭 
dou4 zheng1 
 
 
a struggle; fight; battle 
斗争性 
鬥爭性 
dou4 zheng1 xing4 
 
 
assertiveness; combative nature 
独立战争 
獨立戰爭 
du2 li4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
war of independence 
反恐战争 
反恐戰爭 
fan3 kong3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
war on terrorism 
反右派斗争 
反右派鬥爭 
fan3 you4 pai4 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
Anti-Rightist Movement, Mao's purge of "rightists" after the Hundred Flowers Campaign ended in 1957 
反袁斗争 
反袁鬥爭 
fan3 yuan2 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
war of 1915 against Yuan Shikai and for the Republic 
分秒必争 
分秒必爭 
fen1 miao3 bi4 zheng1 
 
 
seize every minute and second (idiom); not a minute to lose; every moment counts 
纷争 
紛爭 
fen1 zheng1 
 
 
to dispute 
分争 
分爭 
fen1 zheng1 
 
 
to dispute; to struggle for mastery 
公平竞争 
公平競爭 
gong1 ping2 jing4 zheng1 
 
 
fair competition 
国际战争罪法庭 
國際戰爭罪法庭 
guo2 ji4 zhan4 zheng1 zui4 fa3 ting2 
 
 
International war crimes tribunal 
国内战争 
國內戰爭 
guo2 nei4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
civil war; internal struggle 
海湾战争 
海灣戰爭 
hai3 wan1 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
(Persian) Gulf War 
护法战争 
護法戰爭 
hu4 fa3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
National protection war or Campaign to defend the republic (1915), a rebellion against the installation of Yuan Shikai as emperor 
护国战争 
護國戰爭 
hu4 guo2 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
National Protection War or Campaign to Defend the Republic (1915), a rebellion against the installation of Yuan Shikai 袁世凱|袁世凯 as emperor 
甲午战争 
甲午戰爭 
jia3 wu3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) 
蒋桂战争 
蔣桂戰爭 
jiang3 gui4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
confrontation of 1929 between Chiang Kaishek and the Guangxi warlord faction 
阶级斗争 
階級鬥爭 
jie1 ji2 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
the class struggle 
解放战争 
解放戰爭 
jie3 fang4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
War of Liberation (1945-49), after which the Communists 共產黨武裝|共产党武装 under Mao Zedong 毛澤東|毛泽东 took over from the Nationalists 國民政府|国民政府 under Chiang Kai-shek 蔣介石|蒋介石 
解决争端 
解決爭端 
jie3 jue2 zheng1 duan1 
 
 
to settle a dispute 
竞争 
競爭 
jing4 zheng1 
 
 
to compete; competition 
竞争产品 
競爭產品 
jing4 zheng1 chan3 pin3 
 
 
competitive product; competitor's product 
竞争对手 
競爭對手 
jing4 zheng1 dui4 shou3 
 
 
rival; competitor 
竞争力 
競爭力 
jing4 zheng1 li4 
 
 
competitive strength; competitiveness 
竞争模式 
競爭模式 
jing4 zheng1 mo2 shi4 
 
 
competition model 
竞争性 
競爭性 
jing4 zheng1 xing4 
 
 
competitive 
竞争者 
競爭者 
jing4 zheng1 zhe3 
 
 
competitor 
据理力争 
據理力爭 
ju4 li3 li4 zheng1 
 
 
to contend on strong grounds; to argue strongly for what is right 
抗日战争 
抗日戰爭 
kang4 ri4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
(China's) War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945) 
抗争 
抗爭 
kang4 zheng1 
 
 
to resist; to make a stand and fight (against) 
克里木战争 
克里木戰爭 
ke4 li3 mu4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Crimean War (1853-1856) 
力争 
力爭 
li4 zheng1 
 
 
to work hard for; to do all one can; to contend strongly 
力争上游 
力爭上游 
li4 zheng1 shang4 you2 
 
 
to strive for mastery (idiom); aiming for the best result; to have high ambitions 
两国相争,不斩来使 
兩國相爭,不斬來使 
liang3 guo2 xiang1 zheng1 - bu4 zhan3 lai2 shi3 
 
 
when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom) 
两虎相争 
兩虎相爭 
liang3 hu3 xiang1 zheng1 
 
 
two tigers fighting (idiom); fierce contest between evenly matched adversaries 
两虎相争,必有一伤 
兩虎相爭,必有一傷 
liang3 hu3 xiang1 zheng1 - bi4 you3 yi1 shang1 
 
 
if two tigers fight, one will get injured (idiom); if you start a war, someone is bound to get hurt 
两伊战争 
兩伊戰爭 
liang3 yi1 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) 
六二五战争 
六二五戰爭 
liu4 er4 wu3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Korean War (started June 25 1950) 
六日战争 
六日戰爭 
liu4 ri4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Six-Day War of June 1967 between Israel and its Arab neighbors 
龙争虎斗 
龍爭虎鬥 
long2 zheng1 hu3 dou4 
 
 
lit. the dragon wars, the tiger battles (idiom); fierce battle between giants 
论争 
論爭 
lun4 zheng1 
 
 
argument; debate; controversy 
玫瑰战争 
玫瑰戰爭 
mei2 gui1 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
The Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) 
美国独立战争 
美國獨立戰爭 
mei3 guo2 du2 li4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
American War of Independence (1775-1783) 
明争暗斗 
明爭暗鬥 
ming2 zheng1 an4 dou4 
 
 
to fight openly and maneuver covertly (idiom) 
内部斗争 
內部鬥爭 
nei4 bu4 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
internal power struggle 
你争我夺 
你爭我奪 
ni3 zheng1 wo3 duo2 
 
 
lit. you fight, I snatch (idiom); to compete fiercely offering no quarter; fierce rivalry; tug-of-war 
拼争 
拼爭 
pin1 zheng1 
 
 
to fight desperately 
普法战争 
普法戰爭 
pu3 fa3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) 
权力斗争 
權力鬥爭 
quan2 li4 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
power struggle 
权力纷争 
權力紛爭 
quan2 li4 fen1 zheng1 
 
 
power struggle 
日俄战争 
日俄戰爭 
ri4 e2 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the war of 1904-1905 between Russia and Japan 
市场竞争 
市場競爭 
shi4 chang3 jing4 zheng1 
 
 
market competition 
世袭之争 
世襲之爭 
shi4 xi2 zhi1 zheng1 
 
 
succession struggle; dispute over inheritance 
赎罪日战争 
贖罪日戰爭 
shu2 zui4 ri4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Yom Kippur war of October 1973 between Israel and her Arab neighbors 
太平洋战争 
太平洋戰爭 
tai4 ping2 yang2 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Pacific War between Japan and the US, 1941-1945 
无争议 
無爭議 
wu2 zheng1 yi4 
 
 
uncontroversial; accepted 
息争 
息爭 
xi1 zheng1 
 
 
to settle a dispute 
相争 
相爭 
xiang1 zheng1 
 
 
to vie against one another; to fight each other; mutual aggression 
星海争霸 
星海爭霸 
xing1 hai3 zheng1 ba4 
 
 
StarCraft (video game series) (Tw) 
星际争霸 
星際爭霸 
xing1 ji4 zheng1 ba4 
 
 
StarCraft (video game series) 
鸦片战争 
鴉片戰爭 
ya1 pian4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Opium Wars of 1840-1842 and 1860-1861 
蚁斗蜗争 
蟻鬥蝸爭 
yi3 dou4 wo1 zheng1 
 
 
lit. the ant fights, the snail contends (idiom); fig. petty squabbling 
与世无争 
與世無爭 
yu3 shi4 wu2 zheng1 
 
 
to stand aloof from worldly affairs 
鹬蚌相争 
鷸蚌相爭 
yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1 
 
 
lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both) (idiom); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party 
鹬蚌相争,渔翁得利 
鷸蚌相爭,漁翁得利 
yu4 bang4 xiang1 zheng1 - yu2 weng1 de2 li4 
 
 
lit. sandpiper and clam war together and the fisherman catches both (idiom); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party 
越南战争 
越南戰爭 
yue4 nan2 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Vietnam War; Vietnam Conflict 
战争 
戰爭 
zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
war; conflict 
战争与和平 
戰爭與和平 
zhan4 zheng1 yu3 he2 ping2 
 
 
War and Peace by Tolstoy 托爾斯泰|托尔斯泰 
战争罪 
戰爭罪 
zhan4 zheng1 zui4 
 
 
war crime 
争霸 
爭霸 
zheng1 ba4 
 
 
to contend for hegemony; a power struggle 
争辩 
爭辯 
zheng1 bian4 
 
 
a dispute; to wrangle 
争长论短 
爭長論短 
zheng1 chang2 lun4 duan3 
 
 
lit. to argue who is right and wrong (idiom); to quibble; a storm in a teacup 
争吵 
爭吵 
zheng1 chao3 
 
 
to quarrel; dispute 
争臣 
爭臣 
zheng1 chen2 
 
 
minister not afraid to give forthright criticism 
争持 
爭持 
zheng1 chi2 
 
 
to refuse to concede; not to give in 
争宠 
爭寵 
zheng1 chong3 
 
 
to strive for favor 
争得 
爭得 
zheng1 de2 
 
 
to obtain by an effort; to strive to get sth 
争斗 
爭鬥 
zheng1 dou4 
 
 
struggle; war 
争端 
爭端 
zheng1 duan1 
 
 
dispute; controversy; conflict 
争夺 
爭奪 
zheng1 duo2 
 
 
to fight over; to contest; to vie over 
争夺战 
爭奪戰 
zheng1 duo2 zhan4 
 
 
struggle 
争分夺秒 
爭分奪秒 
zheng1 fen1 duo2 miao3 
 
 
lit. fight minutes, snatch seconds (idiom); a race against time; making every second count 
争锋 
爭鋒 
zheng1 feng1 
 
 
to strive 
争风吃醋 
爭風吃醋 
zheng1 feng1 chi1 cu4 
 
 
to rival sb for the affection of a man or woman; to be jealous of a rival in a love affair 
争购 
爭購 
zheng1 gou4 
 
 
to compete; to fight for; to rush to purchase 
争光 
爭光 
zheng1 guang1 
 
 
to win an honor; to strive to win a prize 
争衡 
爭衡 
zheng1 heng2 
 
 
to struggle for mastery; to strive for supremacy 
争论 
爭論 
zheng1 lun4 
 
 
to argue; to debate; to contend; argument; contention; controversy; debate 
争论点 
爭論點 
zheng1 lun4 dian3 
 
 
contention 
争面子 
爭面子 
zheng1 mian4 zi5 
 
 
to do (sb) proud; to be a credit to (one's school etc); to make oneself look good; to build up one's image 
争鸣 
爭鳴 
zheng1 ming2 
 
 
to contend 
争名夺利 
爭名奪利 
zheng1 ming2 duo2 li4 
 
 
to fight for fame, grab profit (idiom); scrambling for fame and wealth; only interested in personal gain 
争气 
爭氣 
zheng1 qi4 
 
 
to work hard for sth; to resolve on improvement; determined not to fall short 
争强好胜 
爭強好勝 
zheng1 qiang2 hao4 sheng4 
 
 
competitive; ambitious and aggressive; to desire to beat others 
争抢 
爭搶 
zheng1 qiang3 
 
 
to fight over; to scramble for 
争球线 
爭球線 
zheng1 qiu2 xian4 
 
 
scrimmage line (American football) 
争取 
爭取 
zheng1 qu3 
 
 
to fight for; to strive for; to win over 
争权夺利 
爭權奪利 
zheng1 quan2 duo2 li4 
 
 
scramble for power and profit (idiom); power struggle 
争讼 
爭訟 
zheng1 song4 
 
 
dispute involving litigation; legal dispute 
争先 
爭先 
zheng1 xian1 
 
 
to compete to be first; to contest first place 
争先恐后 
爭先恐後 
zheng1 xian1 kong3 hou4 
 
 
striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another 
争相 
爭相 
zheng1 xiang1 
 
 
to fall over each other in their eagerness to... 
争雄 
爭雄 
zheng1 xiong2 
 
 
to contend for supremacy 
争妍斗艳 
爭妍鬥艷 
zheng1 yan2 dou4 yan4 
 
 
contending for supreme beauty (esp. of flowers, scenery, painting etc); vying in beauty and glamor 
争议 
爭議 
zheng1 yi4 
 
 
controversy; dispute; to dispute 
争议性 
爭議性 
zheng1 yi4 xing4 
 
 
controversial 
争战 
爭戰 
zheng1 zhan4 
 
 
fight 
争执 
爭執 
zheng1 zhi2 
 
 
to dispute; to disagree; to argue opinionatedly; to wrangle 
争执不下 
爭執不下 
zheng1 zhi2 bu4 xia4 
 
 
to quarrel endlessly 
郑人争年 
鄭人爭年 
zheng4 ren2 zheng1 nian2 
 
 
Men of Zheng fighting over their respective ages (idiom); a futile quarrel 
正邪相争 
正邪相爭 
zheng4 xie2 xiang1 zheng1 
 
 
term in TCM describing the progress of disease as an opposition between vital energy 正氣|正气 and pathogeny 邪氣|邪气 
正义斗争 
正義鬥爭 
zheng4 yi4 dou4 zheng1 
 
 
righteous struggle 
直接竞争 
直接競爭 
zhi2 jie1 jing4 zheng1 
 
 
direct competitor; direct competition 
直皖战争 
直皖戰爭 
zhi2 wan3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
war of 1920 between Northern Warlords, in which the Zhili faction beat the Anhui faction and took over the Beijing government 
只争旦夕 
只爭旦夕 
zhi3 zheng1 dan4 xi1 
 
 
see 只爭朝夕|只争朝夕 
只争朝夕 
只爭朝夕 
zhi3 zheng1 zhao1 xi1 
 
 
to seize every minute (idiom); to make the best use of one's time 
中法战争 
中法戰爭 
zhong1 fa3 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
Sino-French War (1883-1885) (concerning French seizure of Vietnam) 
中越战争 
中越戰爭 
zhong1 yue4 zhan4 zheng1 
 
 
the Sino-Vietnamese War, fought between the PRC and Vietnam in 1979; also known as the Third Indochina War