When talking about someone who plays a sport, like an athlete or a player, the Japanese word you'll use is 選手 (せんしゅ). This word is very common and can refer to anyone from a professional athlete to someone playing in a school club. For example, a soccer player is サッカー選手 (サッカーせんしゅ) and a baseball player is 野球選手 (やきゅうせんしゅ). You'll hear this word a lot in sports contexts, so it’s a good one to remember!
When talking about athletes or sports players, the Japanese word you'll commonly hear is 選手 (senshu). This noun is used for anyone who competes in a sport or game, from professional athletes to amateur competitors. It's a very straightforward term and you can use it generally for any type of sportsperson. For example, a baseball player, a swimmer, or a soccer player can all be referred to as 選手. It’s a good word to know if you follow sports or want to talk about athletes in Japanese.
수준별 예문
そのサッカー選手はとても速い。
That soccer player is very fast.
サッカー選手 (soccer player) is a compound noun.
彼女は優秀な水泳選手です。
She is an excellent swimmer.
優秀な (yūshū na) is a な-adjective meaning 'excellent'.
彼は有名な野球選手になりたい。
He wants to become a famous baseball player.
になりたい (ni naritai) means 'want to become'.
オリンピック選手は毎日練習します。
Olympic athletes practice every day.
毎日 (mainichi) means 'every day'.
このチームには若い選手が多いです。
This team has many young players.
多い (ōi) means 'many'.
試合後、選手たちはファンに挨拶しました。
After the game, the players greeted their fans.
挨拶しました (aisatsu shimashita) is the past tense of 'to greet'.
どの選手が一番好きですか？
Which player do you like the most?
一番 (ichiban) means 'the most' or 'number one'.
選手たちは優勝を目指して頑張っています。
The athletes are working hard aiming for victory.
目指して (mezashite) means 'aiming for'.
자주 혼동되는 단어
While 'pureiyaa' can refer to a player, 'senshu' specifically denotes a competitive athlete or player, often with a higher skill level or official status.
'Asuriito' emphasizes the physical and training aspect of an athlete, whereas 'senshu' focuses on the act of competing in a sport or game.
'Kyougisha' is a broader term for a competitor in any event, while 'senshu' is more specifically tied to sports and games.
혼동하기 쉬운
Often confused with other terms that mean 'player' or 'athlete' in English, but have subtle differences in Japanese.
Refers to a competitive player, an athlete who participates in a sport or game. It emphasizes the competitive aspect and skill level.
野球選手 (yakyuu senshu) - baseball player (competitive, skilled) プロの選手 (pro no senshu) - professional athlete
This is a loanword from English 'player', but its usage can be slightly different.
Generally refers to someone who plays a game or a role, often in a less competitive or more casual context. Can also refer to a device that plays media (e.g., DVD player).
ゲームプレイヤー (geemu pureiyaa) - game player (often video games) サッカープレイヤー (sakkaa pureiyaa) - soccer player (can be more general than 'senshu')
Another way to write 'player' in katakana, with very similar usage to プレイヤー.
Essentially the same as プレイヤー, often used interchangeably. No significant difference in meaning or nuance.
ビデオプレーヤー (bideo pureeyaa) - video player チームのプレーヤー (chiimu no pureeyaa) - team player
Loanword from English 'athlete', but Japanese has its own words for 'athlete'.
Specifically emphasizes physical prowess and training for athletic competition. It's often used for individuals who are highly dedicated and skilled in a sport.
オリンピックのアスリート (orinpikku no asuriito) - Olympic athlete 彼女は素晴らしいアスリートだ (kanojo wa subarashii asuriito da) - She is a wonderful athlete.
Another term that directly translates to 'competitor' or 'contestant'.
A formal term for a participant in a competition or event, emphasizing the act of competing. Can be used across various competitive fields, not just sports.
マラソン競技者 (marason kyougisha) - marathon runner (competitor) このイベントには多くの競技者が参加します (kono ibento ni wa ooku no kyougisha ga sanka shimasu) - Many competitors will participate in this event.
셀프 테스트 6 질문
試合で素晴らしいパフォーマンスを見せたのは、どのアスリートですか？
文脈から、試合で活躍するのは「選手」（アスリート）が適切です。
オリンピックに出場する___たちは、毎日厳しいトレーニングを積んでいます。
オリンピックに出場し、トレーニングを積むのは「選手」（アスリート）です。
彼の夢は、いつかプロの___になることです。
プロとしてスポーツやゲームで活躍するのは「選手」（アスリート）です。
「選手」という言葉は、音楽家を指す場合にも使われる。
「選手」はスポーツやゲームの競技者を指し、音楽家には通常使いません。
優れた「選手」になるためには、才能だけでなく努力も不可欠である。
「選手」（アスリート）として成功するには、才能と努力の両方が重要です。
「選手」は、チームスポーツよりも個人競技においてのみ使われる言葉である。
「選手」は、個人競技とチームスポーツの両方で使われます。
/ 6 correct
Perfect score!
예시
その選手は素晴らしい記録を出した。
관련 콘텐츠
이 단어를 다른 언어로
sports 관련 단어
〜後
A2Indicates 'after' a specific event or time.
攻める
A2To initiate an attack or offensive action; to attack.
ボール
A2A spherical object used in games.
野球
A2Baseball.
バスケットボール
A2Basketball
〜前
A2Indicates 'before' a specific event or time.
銅メダル
A2A bronze medal, awarded for third place.
応援する
A2To cheer for or support a team/player.
コーチ
A2A person who trains and instructs athletes or a team; a coach.
〜中
A2Indicates 'during' or 'in the middle of' an activity or period.
