How to say "face-off" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounCovers the sports sense — the face-off, especially in ice hockey, where the puck is dropped between two opposing players to start play. A katakana loanword, and a less common choice.
- にらみ合いにらみあいnounCovers the figurative sense of face-off: a confrontation or standoff in which two sides glare each other down, neither willing to yield. A less common word for this sense.
Use 「フェースオフ」 for the literal sports face-off, especially in ice hockey where play begins, and 「にらみ合い」 for the figurative face-off: a tense standoff between two opposing sides neither willing to back down.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
