Japanese edit

Alternative spellings
戦う
闘う

Etymology edit

From the 未然形 (mizenkei, incomplete form) tataka of verb 叩く (tataku, to strike) + auxiliary verb (fu, indicating repetitive or ongoing action) → “to strike repeatedly” → “to fight”.[1][2][3]

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

たたかう (tatakauたたかふ (tatakafu)?godan (stem たたかい (tatakai), past たたかった (tatakatta))

  1. to battle, to fight, to wage war
    • 1916, Tetsuro Watsuji, Conversion:
      しかしこの(てき)(たたか)っている(あいだ)に、(ほか)(てき)(はい)()(まわ)っていた。
      Shikashi kono teki to tatakatte iru aida ni, hoka no teki ga haigo e mawatte ita.
      But while he was battling this enemy, another had come up behind him.
      しかしこの(てき)(たたか)っている(あいだ)に、(ほか)(てき)(はい)()(まわ)っていた。
      Shikashi kono teki to tatakatte iru aida ni, hoka no teki ga haigo e mawatte ita.
      But while he was battling this enemy, another had come up behind him.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1922, Torahiko Terada, Clear Reminiscence:
      しかし()(ぶん)(よわ)さと(たたか)(せん)()としては(けっ)して(よわ)くなかった。
      Shikashi jibun no yowasa to tatakau senshi toshite wa kesshite yowakunakatta.
      Yet he was not a weak soldier as a soldier fighting his own weakness.
      しかし()(ぶん)(よわ)さと(たたか)(せん)()としては(けっ)して(よわ)くなかった。
      Shikashi jibun no yowasa to tatakau senshi toshite wa kesshite yowakunakatta.
      Yet he was not a weak soldier as a soldier fighting his own weakness.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    Synonym: (wage war) 戦争する (sensō suru)
  2. to compete (in a match, for example)
    Synonyms: 競争する (kyōsō suru), 試合する (shiai suru), 勝負する (shōbu suru), 争う (arasou)
  3. to contend (for one's own interests)
    Synonym: 争う (arasou)
  4. (figuratively) to get through with one's sufferings or difficulties
    Synonym: 闘病する (tōbyō suru)
  5. (literally) to hit or strike repeatedly
    Synonym: 乱打する (randa suru)

Usage notes edit

The 戦う spelling is used in a broader sense than 闘う:

(てっ)(こく)(たたか)tekkoku to tatakaubattle in an enemy country
(せん)(きょ)(たたか)senkyo de tatakaucompete in the elections
(あつ)(たたか)atsusa to tatakaubeat the heat

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  3. ^ Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. ^ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN
  5. 5.0 5.1 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN