verb / noun HSK 4
Traditional 戰鬥
zhàn dòu
to fight · to battle · combat · battle

Meaning

战斗 refers to armed combat or fighting, typically in a military context. It can describe the act of fighting (verb) or the battle itself (noun). The word carries a serious, formal tone and is commonly used in military, political, and revolutionary discourse.

Usage

战斗 is more formal than 打架 (to fight/brawl) and typically refers to organized military combat rather than personal fights. It's frequently used in historical contexts, war narratives, and figurative expressions about struggling for a cause. Common in phrases like 战斗力 (combat effectiveness) and 战斗精神 (fighting spirit).

Examples

  1. 01
    士兵们英勇地战斗到最后一刻。
    Shì bīng men yīng yǒng de zhàn dòu dào zuì hòu .
    The soldiers fought bravely until the last moment.
  2. 02
    我们要为实现梦想而战斗
    men yào wèi shí xiàn mèng xiǎng ér zhàn dòu.
    We must fight to achieve our dreams.

Characters

Measure words

  • chǎng一场战斗
  • 一次战斗

Common collocations

  • 战斗
    zhàn dòu
    combat power, fighting capacity
  • 战斗精神
    zhàn dòu jīng shén
    fighting spirit
  • 英勇战斗
    yīng yǒng zhàn dòu
    to fight bravely
  • 战斗
    zhàn dòu
    fighter plane

Antonyms

Origin

Both characters relate to combat: 战 originally depicted weapons and combat, while 斗 shows two hands grappling. Together they emphasize the active engagement in battle.

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