How to say "club" in Japanese

• クラブJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe broad loanword for a club as an organization, including fraternity- and sorority-type societies, and for the clubhouse building; a safe choice when you simply mean a club you belong to.
  私はどのクラブにも所属しょぞくしていない。↗

  I don't belong to any club.
• サークルJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA group formed around a shared interest, such as a student circle at university or a company sports club; it suggests a casual, informal group rather than a formally run organization.
• 部ぶJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)A club at a school or university, and by extension the team itself; the word for the clubs students join, such as a school sports club.
  バドミントン部ぶはまともな部員ぶいんが極端きょくたんに少すくないため、ほとんど廃部はいぶないし休部きゅうぶ状態じょうたいだった。↗

  There were so few proper members in the badminton club that it was half-way between dead and 'on break'.
• 会かいJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)A society or association: 'club' in the sense of a formally organized group, such as a cultural society; choose it when 'club' means an association rather than a school club or casual interest group.
  この会かいの名称めいしょうはＥ．Ｓ．Ｓ．とする。↗

  This association shall be called the E.S.S.

Use 「クラブ」 for a club as an organization or its clubhouse, 部 for school and university clubs and their teams, 「サークル」 for casual interest groups like student circles, and 会 for clubs that are really societies or associations.

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

• クラブclub
• サークルgroup with a common interest (e.g. students)
• 愛好会あいこうかいclub (esp. for devotees or fanciers of some subject or activity)
• 社会人サークルしゃかいじんサークルclub (for adults, as opposed to for university students)
• 棍棒こんぼうstick
• 会所かいしょmeeting place
• 友会ゆうかいassociation
• 友の会とものかいassociation
• 部ぶclub (at a school, university, etc.)
• 会かいsociety
• 探偵団たんていだんstudy group
• クラブ(golf) club