1.
to scramble for; to fight over; to compete for
To struggle with others to take possession of something. Formed from 奪う (to seize) + 合う (reciprocal suffix), indicating mutual competition or a contest over something.
子供たちがおもちゃを奪い合っている。
The children are fighting over a toy.
限定商品を客たちが奪い合った。
Customers scrambled for the limited-edition items.
各社が優秀な人材を奪い合う状況が続いている。
Companies continue to compete fiercely for talented workers.
FORMATION:
Compound verb from 奪う (to seize, to snatch) + 合う (reciprocal suffix). The ～合う pattern indicates that two or more parties are performing the action toward each other.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 席を奪い合う (to scramble for seats)
- ボールを奪い合う (to fight for the ball)
- 市場を奪い合う (to compete for market share)
NUANCE:
Can describe both physical struggles (children fighting over a toy) and abstract competition (companies vying for talent). The word carries an intensity beyond simple 競う (to compete).