Have you ever wondered how to say Soccer in Japanese? How do you say game terms like penalty, foul, goalkeeper, goal, world cup, and other words related to the most famous game in the world?
In this article, we will share with you the soccer terms in the Japanese language. Words and vocabulary related to soccer in Japanese, the famous Nippon language known as nihongo [日本語].
We also recommend reading:
- How Japan and Brazil have been united in soccer for decades
- The history of Soccer in Japan
- Soccer Animes – List of the best in the genre
Table of Contents
How do you say Soccer in Japanese?
The first thing you need to know is that soccer in Japanese is sakkaa [サッカー] and comes from the English word soccer, since football in American English refers to American football.
There is also the Japanese word shuukyuu [蹴球] to refer to soccer or ball sports. Currently, this word is used more to refer to the predecessor of soccer called Cuju that originated in China.
A curiosity is the Japanese soccer team, nicknamed Samurai Blue (サムライ・ブルー). We recommend reading: Why does the Japan national team play in blue in soccer?
How do you say Goal in Japanese?
Goal in Japanese is gooru [ゴール]. If an own goal happens, it is called oun gooru [オウンゴール]. Other related terms can be seen in the list below:
- gooru wo yurusu [ゴールを許す] – To concede a goal
- make [負け] – To lose, defeat
- haiboku [敗北] – Defeated
- hikiwake [引き分け] – Draw
- doroo [ドロー] – Draw
- douten gooru [同点ゴール] – Equalizing goal
- douten-san [同点弾] – Equalizer
- tokushittensa [得失点差] – Goal difference
- nokku auto [ノックアウト] – Eliminated
- tensa [点差] – Point difference
- kikku [キック] – Kick
- shuutoo [シュート～] – Shot
- naishuu [ナイシュー] – Beautiful shot
How to say World Cup in Japanese?
The Japanese usually abbreviate world cup using W杯 (daburu hai), which can also be written in katakana [ダブル杯]. The ideogram [杯] means cup, often referring to a sake cup.
The Japanese also often use the English term “World Cup” [ワールドカップ]. To refer to the qualifiers for the cup, the term [ワールドカップ予選] is used.
The cup can also be called [FIFA ワールドカップ]. There is an interesting term in Japanese which is Whai netsu [W杯熱] which literally means world cup fever.
The schedule of the World Cup matches is called shiai nittei [試合日程]. The group stages in Japanese are called guruupu riigu [グループリーグ].
The quarter-finals are called junjun kesshou [準々決勝]. The semi-finals are called jun kesshou [準決勝]. Runner-up in Japanese is jun yuushou [準優勝].
The final tournament in Japanese is called kesshoo toonamento [決勝トーナメント]. The trophy is called torofii [トロフィー]. Another interesting term is easy victory which can be said rakushou [楽勝].
Positions of Soccer Players in Japanese
The Assistant Referee in Japanese can be derived from the English ashisutanto referii [アシスタントレフェリー]. There is also a Japanese word to refer to the assistant referee which is fukushin [副審]. The main referee is called shushin [主審], or referii.
The forward player is called fowaado [フォワード] from the English forward. We also have sutoraikaa [ストライカー] derived from the English striker. The defense in Japanese is difendaa [ディフェンダー] and also derives from English.
The midfield in Japanese is called middofiirudaa [ミッドフィールダー]. Goalkeeper in Japanese is gooru kiipaa [ゴールキーパー]. Other player positions can be seen in the list at the end of the article.
List of Soccer Vocabulary in Japanese
To conclude the article, let’s see some more soccer words in Japanese:
- daihyou [代表] – National Team
- sutaatingu menbaa [スターティングメンバー] – Starting lineup
- sutaatingu [スターティング] – Starting
- hikae senshu [控え選手] – Substitute player
- riido [リード] – Leading
- koukakuken [降格圏] – Relegation zone
- tokuten [得点] – Points, Score
- sukoa [スコア] – Score
- tokuten suru [得点する] – To score points
- kachi [勝ち] – To win, victory
- shouri [勝利] – Victory
- fauru [ファウル] – Foul
- hando [ハンド] – Handball
- reddo kaado [レッドカード] – Red Card
- ieroo kaado [イエローカード] – Yellow Card
- penarutii kikku (PK) [ペナルティーキック] – Penalty kick
- adobanteeji [アドバンテージ] – Advantage
- booru deddo [ボールデッド] – Dead ball
- koin tosu [コイントス] – Coin toss
- keikoku [警告] – Warning
- baishikuru kikku [バイシクルキック] – Bicycle kick
Parts of the Soccer Field in Japanese
- goorukiipaa guroobu [ゴールキーパーグローブ] – Goalkeeper gloves
- gooru posuto [ゴールポスト] – Goal post
- netto [ネット] – Net
- tacchi rain [タッチライン] – Touch line
- rokkaa ruumu [ロッカールーム] – Locker room
- benchi [ベンチ] – Player bench
- sukoa boodo [スコアボード] – Scoreboard
- sutando [スタンド] – Stands
- kankyaku [観客] – Spectators
Parts of the Players’ Uniforms
- kitto [キット] – Team kit
- jaajii [ジャージー] – Shirt, Jersey
- suneate [すねあて] – Shin guards
- shin gaado [シンガード] – Shin guards
- sakka sokkusu [サッカーソックス] – Soccer socks
- supaiku [スパイク] – Cleats
- yunifoomu [ユニフォーム] – Uniform
Other Soccer Terms in Japanese
| Japanese | Romaji | Portuguese |
| ウィング | wingu | winger |
| 審判が | shinpan ga | to referee |
| ウォームアップエリア | wōmu appu eria | warm-up area |
| 観客席 | kankyaku seki | grandstand |
| スローする | surō suru | to throw |
| スロー | surō | throw |
| ＦＷ | efudaburyū | forward |
| ベンチ | benchi | bench |
| シュートする | shūto suru | to shoot |
| ＶＩＰ席 | buiaipī seki | VIP box |
| グランド | gurando | field |
| ホーム | hōmu | home |
| シュートする | shūto suru | to kick |
| シュート | shūto | shot |
| フリーキック | furī kikku | free kick |
| フリーキックを蹴る | furī kikku o keru | to take a free kick |
| センタリングする | sentaringu suru | to cross |
| ディフェンダー | difendā | defender |
| ３位決定戦 | san-i kettei-sen | third place playoff |
| ドリブル | doriburu | dribble |
| ドリブルする | doriburu suru | to dribble |
| 予選 | yosen | qualifying |
| 入り口 | iriguchi | entrance |
| コーナーキック | kōnā kikku | corner kick |
| スタジアム | sutajiamu | stadium |
| ファウル | fauru | foul |
| 座席の列 | zaseki no retsu | row |
| 決勝 | kesshō | Final |
| フィニッシュする/ゴールを決める | finisshu suru/ gōru o kimeru | to finish |
| フェイントする | feinto suru | to feint |
| アウェイ | awei | away |
| ゴール | gōru | goal |
| ゴールキーパー | gōrukīpā | goalkeeper |
| ペナルティーエリア | penarutī eria | penalty area |
| オフサイド | ofusaido | offside |
| 入場券 | nyūjō ken | ticket |
| ハーフタイム | hāfu taimu | halftime |
| サイド（バック） | saido（bakku） | side |
| リベロ | ribero | libero |
| ライン | rain | line |
| ゴールライン | gōru rain | goal line |
| ゴールライン | gōru rain | goal line |
| センターライン | sentā rain | center line |
| サイドライン | saido rain | side line |
| マークする | māku suru | to mark |
| プレイオフ/勝ち抜き戦 | purei ofu/ kachinuki-sen | knockout |
| ＭＦ | emuefu | midfielder |
| ＭＦ | emuefu | midfielder |
| ベスト１６決定戦 | besuto ichi roku kettei-sen | Round of 16 |
| パスする | pasu suru | to pass |
| パス | pasu | pass |
| ＰＫ | pīkei | penalty |
| ゴールエリア | gōru eria | goal area |
| 席 | seki | seat |
| ファーストラウンド/ファーストステージ | fāsuto raundo/ fāsuto suteiji | first round |
| 延長 | enchō | extra time |
| ベスト８決定戦 | besuto hachi kettei-sen | Quarter-finals |
| 敗者復活戦 | haisha fukkatsu-sen | repechage |
| 出口 | deguchi | exit |
| セカンドラウンド/セカンドステージ | sekando raundo/ sekando suteiji | second round |
| 準決勝 | jun kesshō | Semi-final |
| チーム | chīmu | team |
| ゴールキック | gōru kikku | goal kick |
| パスする | pasu suru | to touch |
| 応援する | ōen suru | to cheer |
| ポスト | posuto | post |
| バー | bā | crossbar |
| ボランチ | boranchi | defensive midfielder |
| ディフェンダー | difendā | defender |
Did you learn all the words and terms related to soccer in Japanese? I hope you enjoyed the article.
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