How to say "battle" in Japanese

• 戦闘せんとうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe word for combat itself: fighting between armed forces, viewed as the combat rather than the war as a whole. Fits military contexts where English says 'combat' or 'fighting'.
  軍隊ぐんたいは戦闘せんとうの配置はいちで整列せいれつしていた。↗

  The troops were in battle array.
• 戦いたたかいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe broadest choice: a battle in war, but also a fight or conflict in a general sense, including figurative struggles. When 'battle' is metaphorical — a struggle against odds — this is the natural word.
  戦たたかいは人間にんげんの獣性じゅうせいをよびおこす。↗

  War arouses the animal in man.
• 戦いくさJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounReally means war or a military campaign — warfare as a whole, going to war — more than a single battle. For one engagement or a fight, 戦い or 戦闘 is usually the better match.
  腹はらが減へっては戦いくさができぬ。↗

  An army travels on its stomach.
• 合戦かっせんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA battle in the sense of an engagement between opposing armies — a pitched clash, the kind that gets a name and a date. It is not the word for a figurative struggle; use 戦い there.
• 実戦じっせんCommon
  nounActual combat: real fighting as opposed to training or practice — 'action' or 'active service' in military English. Not the word for a particular battle as an event; for that use 戦闘 or 戦い.
  おやおや。いかな体育たいいくの授業じゅぎょうといえど・・・真剣しんけん勝負しょうぶの意気込いきごみで臨のぞまなければ、いざ実戦じっせんと言いう時ときに役やくに立たちませんよ。↗

  Well, even if it is just P.E. class, if you don't take it seriously, it won't do you any good in a real match.

Use 戦闘 for combat as an activity, 「戦い」 for a battle or struggle literal or figurative, 戦 for war or a campaign, 合戦 for a pitched engagement between armies, and 実戦 for actual combat as opposed to practice.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 戦闘せんとうbattle
• 戦いたたかいbattle
• 戦いくさwar
• 合戦かっせんbattle
• 実戦じっせんcombat
• 闘争とうそうfight
• 交戦こうせんwar
• 一戦いっせんbattle
• 対戦たいせんfighting (against)
• 戦せんwar
• バトルbattle
• 役えきwar
• バトるto battle
• 攻防戦こうぼうせんbattle
• 兵革へいかくbattle
• 戦役せんえきmilitary campaign
• 会戦かいせんengagement
• 遭遇戦そうぐうせんencounter
• ダービーbattle (for first place)
• 兵馬へいばwar
• 弓箭きゅうせんfighting with bows and arrows
• 陣じんwar