闘 — “Fight / War” in Japanese

Master (高手)とう, たたか, あらそ

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“Fight / War” in Japanese is 闘, read tou, tataka, araso (とう, たたか, あらそ). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 闘争 (struggle).

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What does 闘 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	闘
Meaning	Fight / War
Readings	とう, たたか, あらそ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	闘争 (struggle)

How to read 闘

闘 is read tou (とう) or tataka (たたか) or araso (あらそ) depending on the word.

Words with 闘

闘争

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Kanji read the same way as 闘

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28