verb / noun HSK 4
Traditional 爭論
zhēng lùn
to argue · to debate · argument · dispute

Meaning

争论 means to argue or debate, typically referring to a back-and-forth discussion where people have differing opinions. As a noun, it refers to the argument or dispute itself. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when people are discussing or disagreeing about something.

Usage

Native speakers use 争论 for both serious debates and everyday arguments. It's neutral in tone—neither particularly formal nor overly casual. Common patterns include 争论...的问题 (argue about... issue) and 引起争论 (spark debate). It emphasizes the exchange of differing viewpoints rather than hostile conflict.

Examples

  1. 01
    他们为这个问题争论了很久。
    men wèi zhè ge wèn zhēng lùn le hěn jiǔ.
    They argued about this issue for a long time.
  2. 02
    这部电影引起了很大的争论
    Zhè diàn yǐng yǐn le hěn de zhēng lùn.
    This movie sparked a lot of debate.

Characters

Measure words

  • chǎng一场争论
  • 一次争论

Common collocations

  • 引起争论
    yǐn zhēng lùn
    to spark debate
  • 激烈的争论
    liè de zhēng lùn
    heated argument
  • 争论不休
    zhēng lùn xiū
    to argue endlessly
  • 争论的焦点
    zhēng lùn de jiāo diǎn
    the focus of debate

Antonyms

Origin

争 originally meant 'to contend' or 'to争 compete,' while 论 means 'to discuss' or 'discourse.' Together they form a compound meaning contentious discussion or argumentation.

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