勝利
shōri[ɕo̞ːɾʲi]
The English word 'victory' can be translated into Japanese as 勝利 (shōri) or 勝ち.
Meaning: condition or state of having won a battle or competition, or having succeeded in an effort, an instance of this (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 勝利 | shōri | [ɕo̞ːɾʲi] (narrow) |
| 勝ち | kachi | [ka̠t͡ɕi] (narrow) |
The term refers to the state of having won a battle, competition or succeeding in an effort. You can use the term 完全勝利 to specifically mean a 'complete victory.'
Which one should you use?
In contrast, 勝ち is a more common, conversational noun used in everyday speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
勝ち is the stem form of the verb 勝つ (katsu, to win) used as a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
shōri
When do people say it?
To celebrate an accomplishment or victory in an informal setting, you might say これだ！ (This is it!) or やった (Yes! Or I did it!). In colloquial speech, the phrase ボロ勝ち is used to describe a landslide or overwhelming victory.
Did you know?
- If you win by a massive margin, you can use the slangy term ボロ勝ち (borogachi). The word ボロ (boro) literally refers to 'rags' or 'worn-out goods', implying you won so easily the opponent was left in tatters.
- The kanji for victory, 勝, contains the radical for 'strength' or 'power' (力) at the bottom. This visually emphasizes the physical or mental force required to prevail.
- In Japanese board games like Go or Shogi, a victory is often described as 勝ち but the loser is the one who initiates the 'resignation' to avoid the shame of a complete defeat.
Examples in context
- 勝利は我々のものだ。The victory is ours.Tatoeba #147163 by bunbuku, translation #659536 by CK
- 僕らが勝利する見込みは十分ある。The prospects for our victory are excellent.Tatoeba #81719 by bunbuku, translation #321996 by CM
- 今日の試合は、ボロ勝ちだったよ。Today's match was a total victory.Tatoeba #10465708 by small_snow, translation #10469504 by terrywallwork
- Katta (勝った)I won!
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are discussing a sports match they watched.
- 健太 Kenta昨日の試合は、劇的な勝利だったね。Kinō no shiai wa, gekiteki na shōri datta ne.Yesterday's game was a dramatic victory, wasn't it?
- 陽葵 Himari本当に！最後まで諦めなかったね。Hontō ni! Saigo made akiramenakatta ne.Really! They didn't give up until the end.
- 健太 Kentaあんな勝ち方は、最高の勝利だと思うよ。Anna kachikata wa, saikō no shōri da to omou yo.I think that kind of win is the best kind of victory.
- 陽葵 Himari私もそう思う。感動したよ。Watashi mo sō omou. Kandō shita yo.I think so too. I was moved.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “victory” translations and entries 勝利, 勝ち, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
