Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Struggle" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "struggle", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
もがく
もがく (mogaku)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
鬩ぎ合う
鬩ぎ合う(せめぎあう)
C2PLUS / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "struggle" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between もがく and 鬩ぎ合う.
In Japanese, もがく (もがく (mogaku)) is typically associated with "to struggle; to writhe; to flounder" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Describes a physical or mental struggle, often in a desperate or frantic way to escape a difficult situation..
On the other hand, 鬩ぎ合う (鬩ぎ合う(せめぎあう)) maps to "to struggle against each other; to compete fiercely" (Syllabus Level: C2PLUS) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "struggle" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "もがく"
溺れている人が必死にもがいていた。
The drowning person was desperately struggling.
Bilingual Context for "鬩ぎ合う"
毎日、日本語を練習するために鬩ぎ合う。
Every day, I struggle against each other; to compete fiercely to practice Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "溺れている人が必死にもがいていた。" (Meaning: "The drowning person was desperately struggling.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "もがく" fits here because it means "to struggle; to writhe; to flounder" in the context of: "The drowning person was desperately struggling.". "鬩ぎ合う" represents "to struggle against each other; to compete fiercely".