勝利
shōri[ɕo̞ːɾʲi]
The English word "winning" (as an adjective meaning that constitutes a win) is translated into Japanese as 勝利 (shōri).
勝利 is a noun meaning "victory" or "win". It is a formal noun often used in news, sports reporting or official contexts rather than casual conversation.
Meaning: that constitutes a win (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 勝利 is composed of the kanji 勝 (to win) and 利 (profit/advantage).
Which one should you use?
In casual conversation, the noun 勝ち is much more common than 勝利 to express a win or victory. 勝者 is a formal noun that refers to the 'winner'. To use 'winning' as a verb-derived adjective (e.g., 'the winning team'), you use the past tense form 勝利した.
How do you pronounce it?
shōri
Did you know?
- Japanese uses the specific term 勝ち組 (kachigumi) to describe people who are on the 'winning side' of society. This is used to categorize people who have succeeded in life or career compared to those who have not.
- The phrase 勝ち逃げ (kachi-nige) describes a 'winning' move where a player secures a lead and then 'escapes' by playing purely defensively to ensure the win.
- In Japanese sports culture, a 'winning' spirit is often linked to 根性 (konjō), which refers to stubborn persistence and guts. While 勝利 is the result, 根性 is the mental grit believed to be necessary to achieve it.
Examples in context
- 勝利の見込みは全く無くなった。All hope of winning the game vanished.This sentence shows how to use 勝利 to discuss the prospect or hope of winning.Tatoeba #147169 by bunbuku, translation #267392 by CK
- 彼は政治選挙で勝つことができました。He was able to win the political election.
- 勝者には素晴らしい賞が授与されます。Amazing prizes are awarded to the winners.
- 昨日、私たちはサッカーマッチに勝ったね！We won the soccer match yesterday!
- 日本はサッカーワールドカップで勝ちました。Japan won the FIFA World Cup.
- これは勝利の味だ。Kore wa shouri no aji da.This is the taste of victory.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Youta are discussing a sports game.
- 陽葵 Himari今のプレーで勝利が見えたね。Ima no puree de shouri ga mieta ne.We can see the winning move after that play, right?
- 陽太 Yotaああ、もう勝ち確定だと思うよ。Aa, mou kachi kakutei da to omou yo.Yeah, I think the win is guaranteed now.
- 陽葵 Himari最高に気持ちいい試合展開だね。Saikou ni kimochi ii shiai tenkai da ne.The flow of the game feels great.
- 陽太 Yota最後まで集中して頑張ろう。Saigo made shuuchuu shite ganbarou.Let's stay focused until the end.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 勝利, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
