戦う
The Japanese phrase for "to fight" is 戦う.
戦う is used for literal combat as well as for abstract struggles, such as fighting against a disease, social injustice or one's fate.
Which one should you use?
While 戦う refers to fighting a battle, a war or a struggle against an opponent or obstacle, the phrase 喧嘩する is used for personal quarrels or physical brawls between individuals.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 戦う is 戦った. The noun form of the verb is 戦い, which means "a fight" or "a battle".
Did you know?
- In Japanese, there is a subtle distinction where 闘う (also read as tatakau) is specifically preferred for fighting invisible enemies like 'cancer' or 'illness'.
- In Japanese, the word for 'fight' can be used in a sports context to mean 'do your best'. A coach or teammate might shout 戦え ('fight!') to encourage a player to persevere rather than to engage in combat.
- In certain martial arts contexts, instead of saying they will 'fight' someone, practitioners might use the term 稽古する (keiko suru), which means to 'practice' or 'train'.
Examples in context
- 生きることは戦うことだ。To live is to fight.Tatoeba #11633471 by Johannes_S, translation #5835778 by OsoHombre
- 彼は自分の信念のために戦う。Kare wa jibun no shinnen no tame ni tatakau.He fights for his own beliefs.
- 夢を実現するために戦うつもりだ。Yume o jitsugen suru tame ni tatakau tsumori da.I intend to fight to make my dreams a reality.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a challenging sports tournament.
- 陽太 Yota次の試合は厳しいぞ。Tsugi no shiai wa kibishii zo.The next match will be tough.
- 陽葵 Himari全力で戦うよ！Zenryoku de tatakau yo!I'll fight with all my might!
- 陽太 Yotaその意気だ、陽葵。Sono iki da, Himari.That's the spirit, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari絶対勝ちたいし。Zettai kachitai shi.I really want to win.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 戦う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
