競合 (kyōgō: contention, competition, rivalry, quarrel)
to compete + to put side by side
全ての競合会社がパイの分け前を得ようとしています。
Subete no kyōgō gaisha ga pai no wakemae o eyō to shite imasu.
All the competing companies are trying to get a piece of the pie.全て (subete: all)
競合会社 (kyōgō gaisha: competing companies)
to compete + to put side by side + company (last 2
chars.)
This is a set phrase, so there’s no need to use the adjective form 競合の (kyōgō no), even though 競合 is modifying 会社.
パイ (pai: pie)
This loanword is so cute I can’t stand it! Does it strike you that way, too?
分け前 (wakemae: share, portion, cut)
to divide + portionHalpern says that 前 (mae) doesn’t mean “before” here. Rather, it’s a suffix meaning “portion.”
得 (e(ru): to get, obtain)
With 得ようとする (eyō to suru) we’re once again seeing the informal volitional form of 得る. The present progressive しています form gives us “are trying to get.”
