テニス
tenisu[te̞ɲ̟isɨ]
The Japanese word for tennis is テニス (tenisu). Wiktionary also lists 庭球 (teikyū).
Meaning: sport played by two or four players with strung racquets (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| テニス | tenisu | [te̞ɲ̟isɨ] (narrow) |
| 庭球 | teikyū | [te̞ːkʲɨː] (narrow) |
テニス is the most straightforward way to express the sport of tennis. To emphasize the competitive nature of the sport, you can add the word 競技 after it to form テニス競技.
Which one should you use?
テニス is the standard everyday word. In contrast, 庭球 is a more formal or technical term meaning 'garden ball' used in specific sporting contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to play tennis,' use the verb する (suru) rather than a verb for 'play' like プレーする (pure-suru), which is less common in casual conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
tenisu
Did you know?
- In Japan, soft tennis is so popular that it is often treated as a distinct sport from 'hard' tennis, with its own separate terminology and governing bodies.
- Japanese tennis culture places a high value on 礼儀 (reigi), or etiquette, often involving a formal bow to the opponent and the umpire before and after a match.
- While テニス is used today, the formal term 庭球 reflects the sport's origin in the French 'jeu de paume', where it was played in open-air courts or 'gardens'.
Examples in context
- テニスは得意？Are you good at tennis?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is good at テニス.Tatoeba #8747270 by bunbuku, translation #39405 by xtofu80
- テニスはするの？Do you play tennis?This sentence is useful for asking if someone plays テニス.Tatoeba #9471582 by bunbuku, translation #39374 by CK
- テニスはしたの？Did you play tennis?This sentence is useful for asking if someone played テニス.Tatoeba #10491732 by bunbuku, translation #69884 by CK
- 昨日テニスをしましたI played tennis yesterday.
- テニス競技の試合に参加していますI'm participating in a tennis tournament.
- テニスが大好きです！I love tennis!
- 317 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their weekend hobbies.
- 結衣 Yui週末、テニスをしませんか？Shūmatsu, tenisu o shimasen ka?Shall we play tennis this weekend?
- 健太 Kentaいいですね、ぜひやりましょう。Ii desu ne, zehi yarimashō.That sounds good, let's definitely do it.
- 結衣 Yui健太さんは、テニスの道具を持っていますか？Kenta-san wa, tenisu no dōgu o motte imasu ka?Kenta, do you have tennis equipment?
- 健太 Kentaはい、ラケットは持っています。Hai, raketto wa motte imasu.Yes, I have a racquet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tennis” translations and entries テニス, 庭球, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries テニス, 庭球, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
