How to say "sports" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe default word for sports as games and athletic pastimes, like baseball, soccer, or tennis. Use it whenever you mean sports in general or a particular sport.ところであなたはどんなスポーツが好きですか。↗Well, what sports do you like?
- nounMeans athletics or athletic activity rather than sports in the everyday sense; often used for obstacle-course style playground equipment and courses. Rarely the word you want for sports generally.
- nounAnother form for athletics, essentially track-and-field type sports. It is a marginal choice for the general sense of sports, so スポーツ is usually the better word.
- 運動うんどうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers physical exercise, training, and movement rather than organized sports; think workouts or getting physical activity. It matches 'sports' only in that broad physical-activity sense.
Use 「スポーツ」 for the usual meaning of sports; 運動 for physical exercise or movement; 「アスレチック」 and 「アスレチックス」 are marginal here, being mainly about athletics or athletic-style activity.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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