キャプテン

• Reading: キャプテン
• Romaji: kyaputen
• Pronunciation: /kʲa.pɯ.te.n/

Meaning

Captain. The leader of a team, especially in sports.

A loanword from English used primarily in sports contexts to refer to the team captain or leader. Very common in school club activities (部活) where the キャプテン leads the team. Can also refer to ship or airplane captains, though 船長 (senchou) and 機長 (kichou) are more common for those roles.

Examples

1. サッカー部のキャプテンに選ばれた。 I was chosen as captain of the soccer team.
2. キャプテンがチームをまとめている。 The captain keeps the team together.
3. 来年のキャプテンは誰になるだろう。 I wonder who will be captain next year.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, school clubs, team activities

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'captain,' which itself derives from Latin 'capitaneus' (chief), from 'caput' (head). Entered Japanese during the Meiji era with the adoption of Western sports and military terminology.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal