勝つ

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: Spelling: 勝つ. Reading: かつ. Core meaning: to win; to defeat.
• Basic usage: Representative examples: 次の試合では必ず勝つと決めた / 弟は将棋で初めて兄に勝った.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Contest and opponent
  • Winning a contest appears in 試合で勝つ, while defeating a person appears in 兄に勝つ. The winner is the subject of this verb, and the opponent is commonly marked with に.