野球

• Reading: やきゅう
• Romaji: yakyuu
• Kanji breakdown: 野 (ya/no) — field, plain. 球 (kyuu/tama) — ball, sphere
• Pronunciation: /ja.kʲɯː/

Meaning

Baseball. Japan's most traditionally popular sport with a deep cultural history.

Baseball has been played in Japan since the 1870s and remains one of the country's most beloved sports. The professional league (NPB) has 12 teams. High school baseball (甲子園/Koshien) is a national phenomenon. Common expressions include 野球をする (to play baseball) and 野球場 (baseball stadium).

Examples

1. 父と一緒に野球を見に行きました。 I went to watch baseball with my father.
2. 高校の時に野球部でした。 I was in the baseball club in high school.
3. 日本では野球がとても人気です。 Baseball is very popular in Japan.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, hobbies, TV

Tone: enthusiastic

Origin & History

Compound of 野 (ya, field/plain) and 球 (kyuu, ball). Literally 'field ball' — a descriptive translation coined when baseball was introduced from America in the Meiji era.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal