争う

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 争う, read あらそう, means to quarrel or compete for something.
• Basic usage: Use it both for a dispute over an object and for competition to win a championship.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Quarreling and competing
  • The first example concerns a quarrel between brothers.
  • The second concerns two teams competing to win.
• What is contested
  • In the example 優勝を争う, を marks what the parties seek to win.
• Past form
  • The past form is 争った: the final う becomes った.