How to Write 鬭 (dòu) — Meaning “to fight; to struggle”

Imagine two warriors with spears (the 鬥 part) standing opposite each other, ready to fight. Inside, the right side looks like a twisted fight scene, helping you recall that 鬭 means 'to fight' or 'to struggle'.

Start with the left radical 鬥: write the outer frame first, then fill the inner parts. Be careful not to confuse the right side with similar-looking components; keep the strokes evenly spaced. The character has 24 strokes, so take your time to write each part clearly.

鬭争 (dòu zhēng) means 'struggle' or 'fight' and is used in political or personal contexts, like a struggle for freedom. 鬭志 (dòu zhì) means 'fighting spirit' and describes someone’s determination. 鬭牛 (dòu niú) refers to 'bullfighting', a traditional spectacle in some cultures.

鬭 is a formal or literary character, rarely used in daily conversation; it has largely been replaced by the simplified character 斗 (dòu) in most contexts. However, 鬭 still appears in historical texts, poetry, and names of traditional events like bullfighting (鬭牛).

Common words containing 鬭 include: 鬭争 (dòu zhēng) — struggle; fight; 鬭志 (dòu zhì) — fighting spirit; 鬭牛 (dòu niú) — bullfighting.