Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== jìngzhēng: 竞争 - Competition, Rivalry, To Compete ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** jingzheng, 竞争, compete in Chinese, Chinese word for competition, rivalry in Chinese, HSK competition, business competition China, educational competition China, fierce competition, 内卷 * **Summary:** "竞争 (jìngzhēng)" is a fundamental Chinese word for **competition** or **rivalry**. It captures the intense struggle for resources, success, and advancement that is a defining feature of modern Chinese society, from educational pressures like the Gaokao to fierce business and market competition. Understanding **jìngzhēng** is key to grasping the high-stakes, high-pressure dynamics in everything from Chinese schools to the global marketplace. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jìngzhēng * **Part of Speech:** Noun / Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** To compete; competition; rivalry. * **In a Nutshell:** 竞争 is the broad concept of competition, often implying a serious, high-stakes struggle for a limited resource, like a job, a university spot, or market share. It's less about a friendly game and more about the underlying state of rivalry and the pressure to get ahead. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **竞 (jìng):** This character originally depicted two figures speaking or vying for position. It carries the core meaning of "to compete," "to contend," or "to race." * **争 (zhēng):** This character is a pictograph of two hands fighting over a central object. It means "to fight for," "to strive," or "to contend." * When combined, **竞争 (jìngzhēng)** creates a powerful and direct term. It fuses the idea of a race (竞) with an active struggle (争), perfectly capturing the feeling of an intense, ongoing rivalry. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== In China, **竞争 (jìngzhēng)** is not just a concept; it's a pervasive reality woven into the fabric of daily life. The immense population and rapid economic development have created an environment where competition is exceptionally fierce. The most famous example is in education. The national college entrance exam, the **高考 (gāokǎo)**, is a monumental event where millions of students compete for a limited number of university placements. This single exam can determine a person's entire future career path, and the pressure on students and their families is immense. This is the ultimate expression of educational **竞争**. In the West, "competition" is often framed individualistically—a personal drive to win or be the best. In China, while individual ambition is present, **竞争** is often viewed through a more collective or familial lens. Success in competition isn't just a personal victory; it's about securing a stable future for one's family, bringing them honor, and fulfilling filial duties. The stakes feel higher because the outcome impacts the entire family unit. The modern slang term **[[内卷]] (nèijuǎn)**, or "involution," has emerged to describe the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of meaningless, zero-sum competition where everyone works harder but no one gets ahead, reflecting a modern fatigue with the intensity of **竞争**. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **竞争** is a versatile term used across many domains, usually with a neutral-to-serious connotation. * **Business and Economics:** This is one of the most common contexts. **市场竞争 (shìchǎng jìngzhēng)** means "market competition," and **竞争激烈 (jìngzhēng jīliè)**, "fierce competition," is a phrase you'll hear constantly. * **Academics and Careers:** Students face **学习竞争 (xuéxí jìngzhēng)**, or academic competition, and job seekers face intense **就业竞争 (jiùyè jìngzhēng)**, or employment competition. * **As a Verb:** It can be used directly as a verb. For example, "We must compete with them for this project." (我们必须和他们**竞争**这个项目。) * **Connotation:** While usually neutral, it can be modified to be negative, as in **恶性竞争 (èxìng jìngzhēng)**, which means "vicious" or "cut-throat competition." Conversely, **良性竞争 (liángxìng jìngzhēng)** means "healthy competition." ===== Example Sentences ===== **Example 1:** * 现在的市场**竞争**非常激烈。 * Pinyin: Xiànzài de shìchǎng **jìngzhēng** fēicháng jīliè. * English: The current market competition is extremely fierce. * Analysis: A classic and extremely common phrase. **激烈 (jīliè)** is the most common adjective used to describe **竞争**. **Example 2:** * 为了这个职位，有超过一百人来**竞争**。 * Pinyin: Wèile zhège zhíwèi, yǒu chāoguò yībǎi rén lái **jìngzhēng**. * English: Over one hundred people came to compete for this position. * Analysis: Here, **竞争** is used as a verb, "to compete." The sentence structure "为了...来竞争" (wèile...lái jìngzhēng) means "to come compete for..." **Example 3:** * 我们的主要**竞争**对手是一家上海的公司。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen de zhǔyào **jìngzhēng** duìshǒu shì yījiā Shànghǎi de gōngsī. * English: Our main competitor is a company from Shanghai. * Analysis: **竞争** is used here as a modifier for **对手 (duìshǒu)**, creating the compound noun "competitor" or "rival." **Example 4:** * 良性的**竞争**可以促进步。 * Pinyin: Liángxìng de **jìngzhēng** kěyǐ cùjìn jìnbù. * English: Healthy competition can promote progress. * Analysis: This shows the positive side of **竞争**. **良性 (liángxìng)** means "benign" or "healthy." **Example 5:** * 他很有**竞争**精神。 * Pinyin: Tā hěn yǒu **jìngzhēng** jīngshén. * English: He has a very competitive spirit. * Analysis: **竞争精神 (jìngzhēng jīngshén)** is a set phrase for "competitive spirit." **Example 6:** * 小公司很难在大公司的**竞争**中生存下来。 * Pinyin: Xiǎo gōngsī hěn nán zài dà gōngsī de **jìngzhēng** zhōng shēngcún xiàlái. * English: It's hard for small companies to survive in the competition with large companies. * Analysis: The structure "在...竞争中" (zài...jìngzhēng zhōng) means "in the midst of competition." **Example 7:** * 我们必须提高我们的**竞争**优势。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū tígāo wǒmen de **jìngzhēng** yōushì. * English: We must enhance our competitive advantage. * Analysis: **竞争优势 (jìngzhēng yōushì)** is the standard term for "competitive advantage." **Example 8:** * 这两个品牌正在**竞争**年轻消费者市场。 * Pinyin: Zhè liǎng gè pǐnpái zhèngzài **jìngzhēng** niánqīng xiāofèizhě shìchǎng. * English: These two brands are competing for the young consumer market. * Analysis: A clear example of the verb usage, where the object being competed for (the market) comes directly after **竞争**. **Example 9:** * 我们不应该害怕**竞争**，而应该欢迎它。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bù yīnggāi hàipà **jìngzhēng**, ér yīnggāi huānyíng tā. * English: We shouldn't fear competition, but rather we should welcome it. * Analysis: This sentence shows a philosophical stance towards **竞争**, using the "不...而..." (bù...ér...) structure for "not...but rather..." **Example 10:** * 他们之间的**竞争**已经进入了白热化阶段。 * Pinyin: Tāmen zhī jiān de **jìngzhēng** yǐjīng jìnrùle báirèhuà jiēduàn. * English: The competition between them has already entered a white-hot stage. * Analysis: **白热化 (báirèhuà)** is a vivid term meaning "to turn white-hot" or "to reach a fever pitch," often used to describe intense **竞争**. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== A major pitfall for learners is confusing **竞争 (jìngzhēng)** with **[[比赛]] (bǐsài)**. They both relate to competition, but they are not interchangeable. * **比赛 (bǐsài):** Refers to a specific event, match, or contest with clear rules, a start, and an end. Think of a basketball game (篮球比赛), a speech contest (演讲比赛), or a chess match. It's the "battle." * **竞争 (jìngzhēng):** Refers to the broader, often ongoing state of rivalry or the abstract concept of competition. It's the "war." **Incorrect Usage:** * **Incorrect:** 我昨天看了一个足球**竞争**。(Wǒ zuótiān kànle yīgè zúqiú jìngzhēng.) * **Why it's wrong:** You watched a specific *match*, not the abstract concept of football rivalry. * **Correct:** 我昨天看了一场足球**比赛**。(Wǒ zuótiān kànle yīchǎng zúqiú bǐsài.) **When to use 竞争:** Think about the underlying struggle. Companies are in **竞争** for market share. Students are in **竞争** for university spots. These are not single events but ongoing states of rivalry. You can have many **比赛** (matches) within a larger **竞争** (rivalry/league). ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[比赛]] (bǐsài) - A match, contest, a specific competitive event. It is a concrete instance of 竞争. * [[对手]] (duìshǒu) - Opponent, rival. The person or entity you engage in **竞争** with. * [[压力]] (yālì) - Pressure. A very common feeling that results from intense **竞争**. * [[奋斗]] (fèndòu) - To strive, struggle, fight for a goal. This is the action one takes to succeed in a **竞争**. * [[内卷]] (nèijuǎn) - "Involution." A very popular modern slang term describing a zero-sum, seemingly pointless internal **竞争** that burns everyone out. * [[淘汰]] (táotài) - To eliminate (from a competition), to weed out. The potential negative outcome for the loser of a **竞争**. * [[优势]] (yōushì) - Advantage, superiority. The goal is to gain a **竞争优势** (competitive advantage). * [[激烈]] (jīliè) - Intense, fierce. The most common adjective paired with **竞争**.