dòuzhēng: 斗争 - Struggle, Fight, Combat

• Keywords: douzheng, dòuzhēng, 斗争, Chinese word for struggle, Chinese class struggle, fight in Chinese, ideological struggle, political conflict in Chinese, HSK 6
• Summary: “斗争 (dòuzhēng)” is a powerful Chinese word meaning “to struggle” or “to fight.” More than a simple physical fight, it refers to a serious, often prolonged conflict against an opponent, an ideology, or a significant hardship. Heavily associated with political and “class struggle” (阶级斗争) from China's revolutionary past, it is now used to describe intense efforts against corruption, disease, or even internal moral conflicts. Understanding “斗争” is key to grasping a core concept in Chinese political history and modern serious discourse.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dòu zhēng
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To struggle or fight against an opposing force; a struggle, conflict, or fight.
• In a Nutshell: Think of “斗争” not as a simple punch-up, but as “The Struggle.” It implies a serious, determined, and often lengthy conflict against a formidable adversary. This adversary could be a political enemy, a social injustice, a severe illness, or a deep-seated personal flaw. The word carries a heavy, formal weight, rooted in decades of political rhetoric, making it feel much more significant than the English “struggle.”

• 斗 (dòu): This character means to fight or contend. Its ancient form is said to depict two people (or fists) clashing, capturing the essence of a direct conflict.
• 争 (zhēng): This character means to strive, contend, or dispute. It’s composed of a claw (爫) at the top and a symbol for a hand pulling something at the bottom, vividly illustrating the idea of fighting or competing over a resource.

When combined, 斗争 (dòuzhēng) creates a compound word that intensifies the meaning of conflict. It's not just a fight (斗) or a dispute (争), but a full-blown struggle that requires sustained effort and resolve.

The cultural weight of 斗争 is immense and inseparable from 20th-century Chinese history. During the Maoist era (1949-1976), 阶级斗争 (jiējí dòuzhēng - class struggle) was a cornerstone of political ideology. It was the belief that society was fundamentally divided into opposing classes (e.g., the proletariat vs. the bourgeoisie) that were locked in a constant, necessary struggle. This wasn't just a theory; it was a call to action that fueled political campaigns, public “struggle sessions” against perceived enemies, and sweeping societal change. Because of this history, 斗争 carries a strong political and ideological flavor that is absent from the English word “struggle.” Comparison to a Western Concept: Compare 斗争 (dòuzhēng) to the American concept of “the grind” or “the hustle.” While both imply hard work against adversity, “the grind” is typically individualistic, often focused on personal career or financial success. 斗争, on the other hand, is frequently collective and ideological. Its historical context is about struggling for a cause (the revolution, the nation, the party) or against a defined enemy (corruption, imperialism, poverty). While you can have a personal 斗争 (e.g., against cancer), the word's default setting is larger and more serious than a personal “hustle.”

While the intense, all-encompassing “class struggle” is a thing of the past, the word 斗争 is still very much in use, primarily in formal and serious contexts.

• Political Rhetoric: The government uses it to frame major national initiatives. The 反腐败斗争 (fǎn fǔbài dòuzhēng - the struggle against corruption) is a perfect example. It frames anti-corruption efforts not as a simple policy, but as a critical, ongoing battle for the nation's health.
• Serious Personal Hardships: It's used to describe life-or-death situations or profound challenges. For instance, someone 与疾病作斗争 (yǔ jíbìng zuò dòuzhēng - fighting against an illness). This elevates their effort beyond just “dealing with” a sickness.
• Internal/Moral Conflicts: The term 思想斗争 (sīxiǎng dòuzhēng - ideological/mental struggle) describes a moment of intense internal debate or a crisis of conscience. It's what you experience before making a very difficult moral decision.
• Power Dynamics: In business or politics, 权力斗争 (quánlì dòuzhēng - power struggle) describes the serious and often covert conflicts between factions vying for control.

The connotation is almost always serious and implies a high-stakes conflict. You would never use it for trivial matters.

• Example 1:
  • 中国共产党领导人民进行了长期的革命斗争。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng lǐngdǎo rénmín jìnxíngle chángqī de gémìng dòuzhēng.
  • English: The Communist Party of China led the people in a long revolutionary struggle.
  • Analysis: This is a classic historical and political use of the term, referring to “The Struggle” of the revolution.
• Example 2:
  • 这是一场正义与邪恶之间的斗争。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī chǎng zhèngyì yǔ xié'è zhījiān de dòuzhēng.
  • English: This is a struggle between justice and evil.
  • Analysis: Here, 斗争 is used to describe a broad, abstract, and moral conflict.
• Example 3:
  • 在做这个决定之前，我经过了激烈的思想斗争。
  • Pinyin: Zài zuò zhège juédìng zhīqián, wǒ jīngguòle jīliè de sīxiǎng dòuzhēng.
  • English: Before making this decision, I went through a fierce internal struggle.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the term's use for a serious internal, psychological conflict (思想斗争).
• Example 4:
  • 政府必须继续与腐败作斗争。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ bìxū jìxù yǔ fǔbài zuò dòuzhēng.
  • English: The government must continue to fight against corruption.
  • Analysis: A common pattern is `与…作斗争 (yǔ…zuò dòuzhēng)`, meaning “to fight against…” This is standard in modern political language.
• Example 5:
  • 公司内部的权力斗争非常复杂。
  • Pinyin: Gōngsī nèibù de quánlì dòuzhēng fēicháng fùzá.
  • English: The internal power struggle within the company is very complex.
  • Analysis: This shows its use in a business or organizational context to describe serious infighting.
• Example 6:
  • 他一生都在为穷人的权利而斗争。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīshēng dōu zài wèi qióngrén de quánlì ér dòuzhēng.
  • English: He spent his whole life fighting for the rights of the poor.
  • Analysis: The pattern `为…而斗争 (wèi…ér dòuzhēng)` means “to struggle for…” and highlights a positive, noble goal.
• Example 7:
  • 经过多年的斗争，她终于战胜了病魔。
  • Pinyin: Jīngguò duōnián de dòuzhēng, tā zhōngyú zhànshèngle bìngmó.
  • English: After many years of struggle, she finally defeated her illness.
  • Analysis: A powerful and common way to describe a long, hard fight against a serious disease.
• Example 8:
  • 在阶级斗争的年代，很多人受到了迫害。
  • Pinyin: Zài jiējí dòuzhēng de niándài, hěnduō rén shòudàole pòhài.
  • English: During the era of class struggle, many people were persecuted.
  • Analysis: This explicitly references the historical term 阶级斗争 (jiējí dòuzhēng) and its negative consequences.
• Example 9:
  • 人类与自然灾害的斗争从未停止。
  • Pinyin: Rénlèi yǔ zìrán zāihài de dòuzhēng cóngwèi tíngzhǐ.
  • English: Humanity's struggle against natural disasters has never stopped.
  • Analysis: This applies the term to a large-scale, ongoing conflict between humans and nature.
• Example 10:
  • 放弃斗争就意味着失败。
  • Pinyin: Fàngqì dòuzhēng jiù yìwèizhe shībài.
  • English: To give up the struggle means to fail.
  • Analysis: A simple but powerful sentence showing 斗争 as a noun representing the entire effort or conflict.

• 斗争 (dòuzhēng) vs. 打架 (dǎjià): This is a critical distinction. 打架 (dǎjià) is a physical fistfight between people. It's what kids do in a schoolyard. 斗争 is a serious, often non-physical and long-term conflict. Saying two kids are having a 斗争 is incorrect and sounds absurdly dramatic.
  • Incorrect: 两个孩子在公园里斗争。 (Liǎng ge háizi zài gōngyuán lǐ dòuzhēng.)
  • Correct: 两个孩子在公园里打架。 (Liǎng ge háizi zài gōngyuán lǐ dǎjià.)
• 斗争 (dòuzhēng) vs. 努力 (nǔlì): 努力 (nǔlì) means “to make an effort” or “to try hard.” It doesn't require an opponent; you can 努力学习 (nǔlì xuéxí - study hard) by yourself. 斗争 requires an opposing force. You don't 斗争学习; you 斗争 against laziness or a difficult exam system.
• False Friend: “Struggle”: The English word “struggle” can be used very casually. “I'm struggling to open this jar.” “I struggled to get out of bed this morning.” You cannot use 斗争 for these situations. For these, you would use a word like 费劲 (fèijìn - to require effort). 斗争 is reserved for high-stakes, serious conflicts.

• 阶级斗争 (jiējí dòuzhēng) - The most famous historical application of the term: “class struggle.”
• 奋斗 (fèndòu) - To strive or struggle towards a positive goal. It's aspirational and empowering, whereas 斗争 focuses on defeating an opponent. One 奋斗s for their dreams; one 斗争s against their enemies.
• 冲突 (chōngtū) - Conflict or clash. A more neutral, sociological term. Two countries can have a 冲突, which is less severe than a 战争 (zhànzhēng - war) but more specific than a 斗争.
• 竞争 (jìngzhēng) - Competition. This is a neutral term used for sports, business, or exams. Competitors are rivals, not enemies.
• 打架 (dǎjià) - To have a physical fight. Informal, personal, and small-scale.
• 战争 (zhànzhēng) - War. The ultimate large-scale, armed conflict between nations or groups.
• 权力斗争 (quánlì dòuzhēng) - Power struggle. A specific type of 斗争 involving a fight for control and influence.
• 努力 (nǔlì) - To make an effort. Lacks the “against an enemy” connotation of 斗争.