How to Say "Chess" in Japanese

チェス

chesu[t͡ɕe̞sɨ]

The English word "chess" is translated into Japanese as チェス (chesu). Wiktionary also lists 西洋将棋 (seiyōshōgi).

Meaning: two-player board game (noun)

Ways to say it

“chess” in Japanese
Japanese	Romanization (Wiktionary)	IPA
チェス	chesu	[t͡ɕe̞sɨ] (narrow)
西洋将棋	seiyōshōgi	[se̞ːjo̞ːɕo̞ːɡʲi] (narrow)

The term チェス is the standard and most common way to refer to the game in daily conversation.

The term 西洋将棋 is composed of 西洋 (seiyō) meaning 'Western' and 将棋 (shōgi) meaning 'Japanese chess'.

西洋将棋 literally means 'Western Shogi'.

chesu

The term 将棋 (shōgi) contains the character for 'general' or 'commander', reflecting the game's origins as a military simulation.
A Japanese player might refer to a 'grandmaster' using the term 名人 (meijin), which is the same title used for the highest rank in traditional 将棋.
If you use the term 西洋将棋 in a casual setting, you might sound like an academic or a historian rather than a casual player.

私もチェスやる。
I play chess, too.
Tatoeba #8875139 by small_snow, translation #5902895 by CK
チェスは難しい。
Chess is hard.
Tatoeba #9431904 by small_snow, translation #5955959 by mailohilohi
チェスはムズい。
Chess is difficult.
Tatoeba #9431905 by small_snow, translation #9431906 by CK
昨日、将棋の大会に参加しました。
Yesterday, I participated in a shogi tournament.
今週末、チェスの対局をしませんか？
How about playing a game of chess this weekend?
駅前のカフェでチェスをやりましょう。
Let's play chess at the café near the station.
62 more sentences on Tatoeba

Ren and Himari are talking about their hobbies.

蓮 Ren

陽葵はチェスができる？
Himari wa chesu ga dekiru?
Himari, can you play chess?
陽葵 Himari

いいえ、チェスはやったことがないよ。
Iie, chesu wa yatta koto ga nai yo.
No, I've never played chess.
蓮 Ren

じゃあ、今からチェスを教えるよ。
Jaa, ima kara chesu o oshieru yo.
Then, I'll teach you chess starting now.
陽葵 Himari

本当？ありがとう、蓮！
Hontō? Arigatō, Ren!
Really? Thanks, Ren!

Sources

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