# 競 — contest; race

競 means “contest; race”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 20 strokes. On'yomi: キョウ (kyou), ケイ (kei). Kun'yomi: きそ(う) (kisou), せ(る) (seru). You'll see it in words such as 競う (kisou, “to compete; to contend”).

- Meaning: contest; race
- On'yomi: キョウ (kyou), ケイ (kei)
- Kun'yomi: きそ(う) (kisou), せ(る) (seru)
- Strokes: 20
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Conflict & rivalry

## How to remember 競

Sounds like 兄: both read ケイ.

Parts: 立 stand · 兄 older brother · 立 stand · 兄 older brother

## Words with 競

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 競う | きそう (kisou) | to compete; to contend |
| 競る | せる (seru) | to compete |

## More in the “Conflict & rivalry” set

[殺](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/kill/) · [競](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/contest/) · [暴](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/violent/) · [爆](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/explode/) · [乱](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/disorder/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/contest/. Last updated 2026-11-01.