勝つ
katsu[ka̠t͡sɨ]
To win in Japanese is to say 勝つ (katsu). Wiktionary also lists 勝利する (shōri suru).
Meaning: transitive: achieve victory in (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 勝つ | katsu | [ka̠t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 勝利する | shōri suru |
When you want to specify the opponent that you win against, use the particle に after the opponent's name or title (e.g., 〜に勝つ).
Which one should you use?
勝つ is the common way to say 'to win'. In contrast, 勝利する is a more formal, noun-based verb that is often used in news reports or official contexts to mean 'to achieve victory'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb has several common forms: the past tense 'won' is 勝った, the conditional 'if one wins' is 勝てば and the potential form meaning 'can win' or 'be able to win' is 勝てる. You may also encounter the compound verb 勝ち取る, which is used specifically to emphasize that a victory was seized through great effort.
How do you pronounce it?
katsu
Did you know?
- The word 勝つ is a homophone for かつ, which refers to 'katsu' cutlet. Because of this, many students and athletes eat a pork cutlet meal before a big exam or game for good luck.
- When expressing that one has 'won' a specific person's heart or affection, Japanese speakers often use the phrase 虜にする, which means 'to make someone a captive'.
- The kanji in 勝つ contains the radical for 'army' or 'military', reflecting the historical roots of the word being tied to combat and warfare.
Examples in context
- 勝つと思う？Do you think we'll win?This sentence is useful for asking for an opinion on whether a victory will occur using 勝つ.Tatoeba #10466907 by small_snow, translation #4049091 by CK
- 彼はきっと勝つ。He is sure to win.This sentence shows how to express certainty about winning using 勝つ.Tatoeba #114008 by bunbuku, translation #289664 by CK
- 誰が勝つと思う？Who do you think will win?This sentence is useful for asking which person will win using 勝つ.Tatoeba #3169758 by tommy_san, translation #3165794 by Hybrid
- 彼らは試合に勝利した。(かれらはしあいにしょうりした)They achieved victory in the game.
- 先月のプレゼンテーションで優勝しました。(せんげつのぷれぜんてーしょんでゆうしょうしました)I won first place in last month's presentation.
- 昨日のサッカーマッチ、俺たち勝ったよ！(きのうのさっかーまっち、おれたちかったよ)We won yesterday's soccer match!
- あのゲームは僕の勝ちだ。(あのげーむはぼくのかちだ)That game is my victory.
- 74 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking about an upcoming tennis tournament.
- 結衣 Yui蓮君、明日の試合、勝てるかな？Ren-kun, ashita no shiai, kateru kana?Ren, do you think you can win tomorrow's match?
- 蓮 Ren一生懸命練習したから、絶対に勝つよ。Isshoukenmei renshuu shita kara, zettai ni katsu yo.I practiced hard, so I will definitely win.
- 結衣 Yui応援しているから、頑張ってね。Ouen shite iru kara, ganbatte ne.I'm rooting for you, so do your best.
- 蓮 Renありがとう、結衣。頑張るよ。Arigatou, Yui. Ganbaru yo.Thank you, Yui. I'll do my best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “win” translations and entries 勝つ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
