<p>Lexical competition is one of the core mechanisms assumed in visual word processing. However, previous studies with different-script bilinguals suggest that lexical competition does not operate in their L2 visual word processing. This study investigated whether this absence of lexical competition results from their low lexical precision in L2 orthographic representations due to script differences. Low lexical precision is linked to weak lexical competition, even in L1 word recognition. In Experiment 1, we developed a spelling test as a measure of lexical precision for our population. A significant correlation was found between higher spelling accuracy and faster lexical decision latency. As faster lexical decision latency is also an indicator of higher lexical precision, the construct validity of the test was confirmed. Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that bilinguals with higher lexical precision would show lexical competition, which would be evidenced by reduced facilitatory neighbor priming effects or even inhibitory effects. The results showed a facilitatory orthographic neighbor priming effect at a group level, replicating previous studies. The significant correlation between faster lexical decision latency and higher spelling accuracy was again observed. Critically, however, higher spelling accuracy was not associated with reduced facilitatory priming effects. These findings suggest that the absence of lexical competition in different-script bilinguals is not attributable to their poor lexical precision in L2.</p>