Japanese word of the day: 試合 (Shiai)

What does 試合 (Shiai) mean?

試合 (Shiai) (noun) — Match, game, contest, bout. This word is used for any kind of organized competition, from sports games and martial arts bouts to friendly matches between friends.

Kanji details for 試 and 合

Character: 試 — test, try, attempt, experiment, ordeal
Radical: speech 言 (訁)

Character: 合 — fit, suit, join
Radical: mouth, opening 口

Example sentences with 試合 (Shiai)

• あと三十分で試合が始まる。
  (Ato sanjuppun de shiai ga hajimaru.)
  ⏰ The game starts in thirty minutes.

• 昨日、野球の試合をした。
  (Kinō, yakyū no shiai o shita.)
  ⚾ We played a baseball game yesterday.

• サッカーの試合を見に行きます。
  (Sakkā no shiai o mi ni ikimasu.)
  ⚽ I’m going to watch a soccer match.

試合 (Shiai) in context

試合 is a go-to word for talking about competitions in Japanese. You’ll hear it at school sports days, on TV during big games, and in everyday conversations about any kind of contest. It’s used for both team and individual events, from soccer and baseball to judo and chess.

Some common phrases that include the word 試合 are:

• 試合開始 (shiai kaishi): start of a match

• 試合終了 (shiai shūryō): end of a match

• 試合中 (shiai chū): during a match