compete

Compared meaning: to compete with others to win or get something (verb).

比较义项：为赢得或取得某物而与他人竞争（动词）。

• compete 本词

  The neutral, all-purpose word for taking part in any contest; used for sports, business, exams or games without implying special intensity, and common in everyday speech.

  中性、通用的词，可指体育、商业、考试或游戏等任何形式的竞争，不特别强调激烈程度，日常口语中也很常用。

  Runners from twenty countries compete in the city marathon every spring.

  来自二十个国家的选手每年春天都会参加这座城市的马拉松比赛（竞争名次）。

• contend

  Stresses a strong, hard-fought struggle against tough opposition, typically followed by 'for' plus the prize; more formal, common in sports, politics or business.

  强调与强劲对手进行艰苦的较量，后面常接 for 加上所争夺的目标，语气较为正式，常见于体育、政治或商业语境。

  Two exhausted teams will still contend for the league's final trophy.

  两支筋疲力尽的球队仍将争夺联赛的最后一座奖杯。

• vie

  Highlights intense rivalry among a few competitors chasing something scarce or desirable, such as attention or a position; formal or literary, rarely used for ordinary sports matches.

  强调少数几个竞争者之间为稀缺或令人向往的目标（如关注或职位）展开的激烈争夺，语气正式或带文学色彩，很少用于普通体育比赛。

  Two eager assistants constantly vie for the manager's attention and praise.

  两名急于表现的助理不断争夺经理的关注和赞赏。

Compete, contend, and vie all mean to compete with others to win something. Compete is the neutral word for any contest. Contend suggests a strong fight against tough opposition. Vie stresses intense rivalry over something scarce; formal or literary. Not compared: contend (to argue).

这三个词都表示为了获胜或达成目标而与别人竞争，但语气强弱和搭配习惯不同：contend 语气更强，暗示与强劲对手的激烈较量；vie 则强调少数几方为稀缺或令人向往的目标展开的争夺。此处不比较 contend 的“主张，争辩”这一义项（如 contend that …）。