birkózni

Birkózni is the Hungarian verb meaning to wrestle, to grapple, or to struggle with someone in a physical contest. The related noun birkózás refers to the activity of wrestling as a sport or an act of grappling. The term is used in everyday language to describe both sport and metaphorical struggles.

In sport, there are two main international forms: szabadfogású birkózás (freestyle wrestling) and kötöttfogású birkózás (Greco-Román). In freestyle, athletes may use legs and perform holds on any part of the body; in Greco-Román, attacks below the waist are forbidden, focusing on upper-body techniques such as throws and clinches. Women's wrestling is part of the same sport and competitions at the world, continental, and Olympic levels.

Competitions are governed internationally by United World Wrestling (UWW) and nationally by organizations such as the Magyar Birkózó Szövetség (Hungarian Wrestling Federation). The sport emphasizes takedowns, exposure (turning an opponent's back to the mat), reversals, and control, with victories by pin, technical superiority, or by points after the match duration.

Historically, wrestling is among the oldest athletic activities and has a long tradition in Hungary, with national championships and a presence in European and World events. The term birkózni is also widely used in metaphorical contexts to describe intense struggle or effort in non-sport situations.