本文由古文字分析爭字本義，以明其字形演變的脈絡。甲骨文的爭字作(特殊字元略)，可區分作又、(特殊字元略)、力三部件，字的本形象手持力器翻土挖井形，字的本義爲耕。爭字至周金文增生聲而爲靜，作(特殊字元略)，正確分析是「从爭生聲」。《說文》以降謂「从爭青聲」的理解，恐非爭字的原意。

The essay discusses the original meaning of the ancient character ”爭”, and traces the transformation of its spelling over time. The word ”爭” in oracle bone inscriptions means 耕; it consists of three pictographic parts to create the image of a hand holding tools to cultivate soils and to dig well. In Chou bronze inscriptions ”爭” is spelled as ”靜”, which includes a phonetic part (生聲). 靜 should therefore be interpreted as ｢爭生聲｣, but not, as in the cases of 《說文》 and later understandings, ｢爭青聲｣.