競う

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 競う, read きそう, and it is a godan transitive verb for trying to surpass another in skill, speed, price, or another shared measure.
• Basic usage: 競う means to compete or vie with another person or group for superiority under the same criterion.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Athletes competing in speed and stores competing on price
  • The forms are 競った and 競う. Two athletes actually race along the final straightaway, while competition based only on price is presented as a possible cause of lower quality.
• A contest on the final straight and the cost of price competition
  • 二人の選手が最後の直線で速さを競った。 — The two athletes raced each other along the final straightaway.
  • 店同士が値段だけで競うと品質が下がることもある。 — When stores compete only on price, quality can decline.