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角斗 (jué dòu) — to wrestle; to engage in a life-or-death struggle (often in a gladiatorial context)

Definition

A formal/written verb meaning to fight or wrestle to the finish, often in a gladiatorial or fierce competitive context. Unlike 打架 (everyday brawl) or 比赛 (neutral 'match'), 角斗 stresses a life-or-death struggle.

verb
to wrestleto engage in a life-or-death struggle (often in a gladiatorial context)

Examples

  • 角斗角斗。
    Gǔ luó mǎ de jué dòu shì zài jìng jì chǎng shàng shēng sǐ jué dòu.
    Ancient Roman gladiators wrestled for their lives in the arena.
  • 角斗。
    Zhè liǎng jiā gōng sī wèi le shì chǎng fèn é jī liè jué dòu.
    These two companies are fiercely wrestling for market share.
  • 角斗。
    Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng yǔ duì shǒu jué dòu le zhěng zhěng yí gè xiǎo shí.
    In the match, he wrestled with his opponent for a full hour.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

角jiǎocontest
斗dòufight

角 (contest) and 斗 (fight) combine to mean wrestling or gladiatorial struggle.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 角 is a picture of a horn.

Open 角 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 斗 originally showed a ladle-shaped dipper or cup used to measure grain, held in a hand.

Open 斗 →
Appears in
Sports & Athletics

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