勝者
shōsha[ɕo̞ːɕa̠]
The English word 'victor' is translated into Japanese as 勝者 (shōsha).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 勝者 is composed of the kanji 勝, which means win or victory and 者, which means person.
Which one should you use?
While 勝者 refers to a victor in a formal or literal sense, the antonym is 敗者, which means loser. If you are referring to someone's social or economic success colloquially, you might use 勝ち組 instead.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When addressing a person specifically named Victor, you can use ビクターさん for a standard formal address or ビクター様 to show even higher status or utmost reverence. For an informal way to address someone named Victor, such as an acquaintance or a younger person, you can use ビクターくん.
How do you pronounce it?
shōsha
Did you know?
- The antonym 敗者 is frequently used in Japanese pop culture and anime to describe a 'tragic loser' who possesses more dignity than the actual victor.
- In some traditional games, the person who has won or is currently winning is called the 上役 (uwayaku) or similar terms depending on the specific social structure of the game being played.
- While 勝者 is a neutral term, the phrase 勝ち誇る describes the specific act of gloating or showing off after a victory.
Examples in context
- おはようございます、ビクターさん。Good morning, Victor.
- ご出席ありがとうございます、ビクター様。Thank you for attending, Victor.
- お帰りなさい、ビクターくん！Welcome back, Victor!
- 彼は最後の勝者だ。Kare wa saigo no shousha da.He is the final victor.
- 勝者を決めよう。Shousha o kimeyou.Let's decide the victor.
- 勝者がトロフィーを受け取る。Shousha ga torofii o uketoru.The victor receives the trophy.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are watching a sports final.
- 結衣 Yuiすごい試合だったね！Sugoi shiai datta ne!That was an amazing match!
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。でも、勝者は一人だけだ。Hontō da ne. Demo, shōsha wa hitori dake da.It really was. But there can be only one victor.
- 結衣 Yuiどちらが勝ったと思う？Dochira ga katta to omou?Which one do you think won?
- 健太 Kenta青いチームが勝ったよ。Aoi chīmu ga katta yo.The blue team won.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 勝者, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
