ライバル

raibaruLoanword from English rival

rival

彼は私の最大のライバルです。

He is my biggest rival.

neutral

A person or thing competing with another for the same objective or superiority.

テニスのライバル同士が決勝戦で戦った。

The tennis rivals faced off in the final match.

その会社は新しい市場でライバル企業と競争している。

The company is competing with rival firms in the new market.

Often used in sports, business, or personal contexts to denote direct competition.

Collocations

ライバル関係rivalry最大のライバルbiggest rivalライバル同士rivals with each other

Synonyms

競争相手敵対抗馬

Antonyms

味方協力者

Related Phrases

ライバル心phrase

rivalry spirit / competitive spirit

ライバル視するphrasal verb

to regard as a rival

Pro Tip

Context matters

In sports, 'ライバル' often implies mutual respect, while in business, it may carry a more cutthroat connotation. Pay attention to the context to gauge the tone.

Gold Rule

Avoid overuse

While 'ライバル' is useful, overusing it can sound dramatic. In many cases, '競争相手' (competitor) or '対抗馬' (challenger) may be more natural.

Word Origin

Derived from English 'rival' (from Latin 'rivalis', meaning 'one who uses the same stream as another'). Adopted into Japanese in the Meiji era (late 19th century) during Westernization.

Usage Notes

Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. Can imply both friendly competition and intense rivalry. Often used in sports, business, and personal relationships.

Word Breakdown

ライバル

rival (from English)

loanword

和英辞典

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