野球
yakyū[ja̠kʲɨː]
The English phrase baseball is 野球 (yakyū) in Japanese. If unsure, use 野球. Wiktionary also lists ベースボール (bēsubōru).
Meaning: ball game (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 野球 | yakyū | [ja̠kʲɨː] (narrow) |
| ベースボール | bēsubōru | [be̞ːsɨbo̞ːɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term refers to the sport of baseball. In school settings, the baseball club is commonly called 野球部 (yakyū-bu).
Which one should you use?
Use 野球 (yakyū) when referring to the sport itself. The loanword ベースボール (bēsubōru) is typically used in specific contexts, such as brand names or to sound more Western or stylish.
How do you pronounce it?
yakyū
Did you know?
- The phrase 野球の神様 means 'The God of Baseball' and was famously used in Japan to honor Babe Ruth.
- The word 野球 was actually a clever invention by a man named Kanae Chūman in 1894 to translate the English concept.
- In Japan, the high school 野球部 (baseball club) carries such immense cultural weight that their national championships are viewed as major national events.
Examples in context
- 野球は得意？Are you good at baseball?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is good at 野球.Tatoeba #8776596 by bunbuku, translation #6269873 by CK
- 野球をしたい。I want to play baseball.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to play 野球.Tatoeba #12056103 by xyz_13, translation #8845383 by CK
- 野球部員ですか？Do you belong to the baseball club?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a member of a 野球 club.Tatoeba #176844 by KK_kaku_, translation #237617 by CK
- 「一緒に野球をしませんか？」Would you like to play baseball together?
- 「昨夜の野球の試合は素晴らしかったですね！」Last night's baseball game was fantastic, wasn't it?
- 182 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are talking about their hobbies at a park.
- 結衣 Yui野球、やってるの？yakyuu, yatteru no?Do you play baseball?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、高校からずっとやってるよ。un, koukou kara zutto yatteru yo.Yeah, I've been playing since high school.
- 結衣 Yuiすごいね！ポジションは？sugoi ne! pojishon wa?That's amazing! What is your position?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕はピッチャーだよ。boku wa picchaa da yo.I am a pitcher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baseball” translations and entries 野球, ベースボール, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ベースボール, 野球, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
