競争

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 競争 (きょうそう) combines competing 競 and contending 争 to denote competition for a goal or advantage.
• Basic usage: It applies to companies competing on service quality and people competing solely on speed.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The dimension of competition matters
  • 競争する does not specify the criterion; a narrow focus on speed can sacrifice safety or quality.