終盤

• Reading: しゅうばん
• Romaji: shuuban
• Kanji breakdown: 終 (shuu/o) — end, finish; 盤 (ban) — board, plate
• Pronunciation: /ɕɯː.baɴ/

Meaning

Endgame; final stage. The concluding phase of a game, story, or process.

A noun from board game terminology for the endgame. Now widely used for the final stage of any process: 終盤に入る (shuuban ni hairu, to enter the final stage), 終盤戦 (shuuban-sen, final battle). Completes the set with 序盤 (joban) and 中盤 (chuuban). Carries a sense of climax and resolution.

Examples

1. 試合は終盤に入ってさらに盛り上がった。 The game got even more exciting as it entered the final stage.
2. 受験勉強もいよいよ終盤だ。 Studying for the entrance exams is finally in the home stretch.
3. 物語の終盤で主人公が大きな決断をする。 The protagonist makes a major decision in the final stage of the story.

Usage Guide

Context: games, sports, narratives

Tone: dramatic

Origin & History

Compound of 終 (shuu, end/finish) and 盤 (ban, board/game board). Originally the final moves on a game board, now extended to the closing phase of any endeavour.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal