棒球
bàngqiú
The English phrase "baseball" is 棒球 (bàngqiú) in Mandarin.
棒球 refers to the ball game. When you want to say "to play baseball", the standard expression is to use the verb 打 (to hit) followed by 棒球, forming 打棒球.
Meaning: ball game (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 棒球 is composed of 棒 (bàng), meaning 'stick' or 'club' and 球 (qiú), meaning 'ball'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, baseball is commonly referred to as 棒球.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is bàngqiú.
Did you know?
- The character 棒 (bàng), used in 棒球, is also the root for the common adjective 棒! (bàng!), which means 'excellent' or 'awesome' in informal speech.
- In Mandarin, the verb 打 used in 打棒球 is the same verb used for playing basketball and tennis, but not for playing soccer, which uses 踢 meaning 'to kick'.
- In professional Mandarin broadcasts, you will often hear the English word 'Home Run' used directly, even though the Mandarin translation exists.
Examples in context
- 我們去打棒球吧。Let's play baseball!This sentence is useful for suggesting an activity using 棒球.Tatoeba #3706752 by egg0073, translation #54226 by CK
- 棒球賽季開始了。Baseball season has begun.This sentence is useful for discussing the 棒球 season.Tatoeba #13532029 by LeviHighway, translation #4496002 by CK
- 我看到他在打棒球。I saw him playing baseball.This sentence is useful for describing someone performing the action of playing 棒球.Tatoeba #1428127 by sadhen, translation #260150 by CK
- 87 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their hobbies.
- 浩然 Haoran你喜歡棒球嗎？Nǐ xǐhuān bàngqiú ma?Do you like baseball?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我不太喜歡，但我喜歡足球。Wǒ bú tài xǐhuān, dàn wǒ xǐhuān zúqiú.I don't really like it, but I like soccer.
- 浩然 Haoran我最喜歡的運動就是棒球。Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yùndòng jiùshì bàngqiú.My favorite sport is baseball.
- 佳怡 Jiayi浩然，你真的很熱衷於棒球。Hàorán, nǐ zhēn de hěn rèzhōng yú bàngqiú.Haoran, you are really passionate about baseball.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baseball” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
