Baseball vocabulary Japanese > English.

The English terms are also used in Japan, but the Japanese words are also frequently used. The following list contains some of the words that you may read in newspapers/the scores or hear while watching a baseball game.

*If you cannot see the Japanese ideograms, you should install the East Asian Languages on your computer.

The players:

Toshu（投手）: Pitcher

Hoshu（捕手）: Catcher

Yashu（野手）: Fielder

Naiyashu（内野手）: Infielder

Gaiyashu（外野手）: Outfielder

Dasha（打者）: Batter

Sosha（走者）: Runner

Shimei dasha（指名打者）: Designated hitter

Daida（代打）: Pinch batter

Daiso（代走）: Pinch runner

Sawan（左腕）: Left-handed pitcher

Uwan（右腕）: Right-handed pitcher

Sempatsu（先発）: Starter

Nakatsugi（中継ぎ）: Relief

Osae（抑え）: Closer

Shimpan（審判）: Umpire

The ground:

Kyusho（球場）: Ballpark

Naiya（内野）: Infield

Gaiya（外野）: Outfield

Ichirui（一塁）: 1st base

Nirui（二塁）: 2nd base

Sanrui（三塁）: 3rd base

Honrui（本塁）: The home plate

The game:

Yakyu（野球）: Baseball

Shiai（試合）: Match

Kai（回）: Inning

Omote（表）: Top of the inning

Ura（裏）: Bottom of the inning

Dasen（打線）: Line-up

Dageki（打撃）: At-bat

Tokyu（投球）: A pitch

Sokyu（送球）: A throw (by the fielders)

Dakyu（打球）: Batted ball

Sorui（走塁）: Base running

Torui（盗塁）: Base stealing

Ten（点）: A run

Anda（安打）: A hit

Honruida（本塁打）: A homerun

Manrui homerun（満塁ホームラン）: Full-base homerun

Gida（犠打）: Sacrifice bunt

Gisei fly（犠牲フライ）: Sacrifice fly

Tokutenken（得点圏）: Scoring position (runner on 3rd)

Keien（敬遠）: Intentional walk

Sanshin（三振）: Strike out

Karaburi Sanshin（空振り三振）: Strike out, the batter tried to hit

Minogashi Sanshin（見逃し三振）: Strike out, the batter overlooked the ball

Shikyu/Four balls（四球）: BB

Shikyu/Dead ball（死球）: Hit by pitch

Sayonara hit（サヨナラヒット）: hit in the bottom of the last inning, thanks to which the team of the batter won the game

Sayonara homerun（サヨナラホームラン）: Same thing but with a homerun

The stats:

Bogyoritsu（防御率）: ERA

Daritsu（打率）: AVG

Daten（打点）: RBI

Tokuten（得点）: Scored runs

Shitten（失点）: Runs given up by the pitcher

Datsusanshin（奪三振）: Strike outs

The positions:

The words "toshu" and "hoshu" are often used to refer to the pitcher and the catcher. The othe positions have also Japanese names, but are almost never used.

Ichiruishu（一塁手）: 1st baseman

Niruishu（二塁手）: 2nd baseman

Sanruishu:（三塁手）: 3rd baseman

Yugekishu（遊撃手）: Short stop

Sayokushu（左翼手）: Left fielder

Chukenshu: （中堅手）: Center fielder

Uyokushu（右翼手）: Right fielder