Meaning
争抢 describes the action of competing eagerly or fighting to obtain something, often in a chaotic or urgent manner. It combines 争 (to争compete/contend) with 抢 (to snatch/grab), emphasizing both the competitive aspect and the urgency of trying to get something before others do.
Usage
This verb is commonly used when describing people rushing to obtain limited resources, bargains, opportunities, or positions. It can describe both physical scrambling (like grabbing items on sale) and metaphorical competition (like competing for job positions). The tone can range from neutral observation to slightly negative, implying disorder or excessive competitiveness.
Examples
- 01打折的时候，顾客们都在争抢商品。, .During the sale, customers were all scrambling for the merchandise.
- 02几家公司正在争抢这个项目。.Several companies are competing for this project.
Characters
Common collocations
- 争抢座位to scramble for seats
- 争抢市场to compete for market share
- 互相争抢to scramble against each other
- 疯狂争抢to scramble crazily
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to competitive or forceful action. 争 originally depicted two hands pulling on an object, while 抢 combines the hand radical with a phonetic component, emphasizing the physical act of seizing.