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Japanese Soccer Vocabulary: 200+ Football Words [FULL]
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Table of Contents
1. Basic Soccer Terms
2. Player Positions
3. Field & Stadium
4. Equipment & Gear
5. Play Actions
6. Fouls & Violations
7. Strategies & Tactics
8. Set Pieces
9. Rules & Game Terms
10. Training & Practice
Japanese soccer vocabulary opens the door to understanding one of Japan’s most beloved sports. Whether you’re watching the J-League, discussing tactics with friends, or studying Japanese through football, knowing the right terms makes all the difference. Let’s get dive in with Mazii!
Japanese Soccer Vocabulary: 200+ Football Words
Basic Soccer Terms
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
サッカー |
sakkā |
Soccer / Football |
フットボール |
futtobōru |
Football (alternative term) |
試合 |
shiai |
Match / Game |
チーム |
chīmu |
Team |
選手 |
senshu |
Player |
コーチ |
kōchi |
Coach |
マネージャー |
manējā |
Manager |
審判 |
shinpan |
Referee |
副審 |
fukushin |
Assistant referee / Linesman |
主審 |
shushin |
Head referee |
ゴール |
gōru |
Goal |
ゴールキーパー |
gōrukīpā |
Goalkeeper |
キックオフ |
kikkuofu |
Kickoff |
ハーフタイム |
hāfutaimu |
Halftime |
フルタイム |
furutaimu |
Full time |
延長戦 |
enchōsen |
Extra time |
PK戦 |
pēkēsen |
Penalty shootout |
勝利 |
shōri |
Victory |
敗北 |
haiboku |
Defeat |
引き分け |
hikiwake |
Draw |
Player Positions
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
ゴールキーパー |
gōrukīpā |
Goalkeeper |
ディフェンダー |
difendā |
Defender |
センターバック |
sentābakku |
Center back |
サイドバック |
saidobakku |
Fullback / Side back |
ウィングバック |
uingubakku |
Wing back |
スイーパー |
suīpā |
Sweeper |
ミッドフィールダー |
middofīrudā |
Midfielder |
センターミッドフィールダー |
sentāmiddofīrudā |
Center midfielder |
ディフェンシブミッドフィールダー |
difenshibu middofīrudā |
Defensive midfielder |
オフェンシブミッドフィールダー |
ofenshibu middofīrudā |
Attacking midfielder |
サイドハーフ |
saidohāfu |
Side midfielder |
ウィンガー |
uingā |
Winger |
フォワード |
fowādo |
Forward |
センターフォワード |
sentāfowādo |
Center forward |
ストライカー |
sutoraikā |
Striker |
トップ下 |
toppu shita |
Second striker (playmaker under striker) |
シャドーストライカー |
shadō sutoraikā |
Shadow striker |
キャプテン |
kyaputen |
Captain |
控え選手 |
hikae senshu |
Substitute |
レギュラー |
regyurā |
Regular (starting player) |
Field & Stadium
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
サッカー場 |
sakkājō |
Soccer field |
スタジアム |
sutajiamu |
Stadium |
ピッチ |
picchi |
Pitch |
フィールド |
fīrudo |
Field |
ゴールポスト |
gōruposuto |
Goalpost |
クロスバー |
kurosubā |
Crossbar |
ネット |
netto |
Net |
タッチライン |
tacchirain |
Touch line (sideline) |
ゴールライン |
gōrurain |
Goal line |
ペナルティエリア |
penaruti eria |
Penalty area |
ゴールエリア |
gōru eria |
Goal area (6-yard box) |
センターサークル |
sentā sākuru |
Center circle |
ハーフウェーライン |
hāfuwērain |
Halfway line |
コーナーアーク |
kōnāāku |
Corner arc |
ペナルティスポット |
penaruti supotto |
Penalty spot |
ベンチ |
benchi |
Bench |
観客席 |
kankyaku seki |
Stands / Seats |
サイドライン |
saidorain |
Sideline |
芝生 |
shibafu |
Turf / Grass |
ナイター |
naitā |
Night game (under lights) |
Equipment & Gear
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
ユニフォーム |
yunifōmu |
Uniform / Kit |
ユニ |
yuni |
Jersey (short form) |
シャツ |
shatsu |
Shirt |
ショーツ |
shōtsu |
Shorts |
ソックス |
sokkusu |
Socks |
スパイク |
supaiku |
Cleats / Boots |
シンガード |
shingādo |
Shin guard |
トレーニングシューズ |
torēningu shūzu |
Training shoes |
キーパーグローブ |
kīpā gurōbu |
Goalkeeper gloves |
ビブス |
bibusu |
Bib / Training vest |
キャプテンマーク |
kyaputen māku |
Captain’s armband |
ボール |
bōru |
Ball |
サッカーボール |
sakkā bōru |
Soccer ball |
練習球 |
renshū kyū |
Practice ball |
マッチボール |
macchi bōru |
Match ball |
ホイッスル |
hoissuru |
Whistle |
タオル |
taoru |
Towel |
水筒 |
suitō |
Water bottle |
テーピング |
tēpingu |
Sports tape |
バッグ |
baggu |
Sports bag |
Play Actions
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
パス |
pasu |
Pass |
ショートパス |
shōto pasu |
Short pass |
ロングパス |
rongu pasu |
Long pass |
スルーパス |
surū pasu |
Through pass |
ワンツー |
wan tsū |
One-two pass |
トラップ |
torappu |
Ball control / Trap |
ドリブル |
doriburu |
Dribble |
キック |
kikku |
Kick |
シュート |
shūto |
Shot |
ヘディング |
hedingu |
Header |
ボレーシュート |
borē shūto |
Volley shot |
オーバーヘッドキック |
ōbā heddo kikku |
Overhead kick |
クロス |
kurosu |
Cross |
センタリング |
sentaringu |
Centering (cross) |
スローイン |
surōin |
Throw-in |
ゴールキック |
gōru kikku |
Goal kick |
フリーキック |
furī kikku |
Free kick |
コーナーキック |
kōnā kikku |
Corner kick |
ペナルティキック |
penaruti kikku |
Penalty kick |
タックル |
takkuru |
Tackle |
Fouls & Violations
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
ファウル |
fawaru |
Foul |
ハンド |
hando |
Handball |
オフサイド |
ofusaido |
Offside |
危険なプレー |
kiken na purē |
Dangerous play |
シミュレーション |
shimyurēshon |
Simulation / Diving |
ラフプレー |
rafupurē |
Rough play |
チャージ |
chāji |
Charge |
ホールディング |
hōrudingu |
Holding (foul) |
プッシング |
pusshingu |
Pushing |
トリッピング |
torippingu |
Tripping |
レッドカード |
reddo kādo |
Red card |
イエローカード |
iero kādo |
Yellow card |
警告 |
keikoku |
Warning |
退場 |
taijō |
Sending off |
危険行為 |
kiken kōi |
Dangerous conduct |
ファウルスロー |
fawaru surō |
Foul throw |
遅延行為 |
chien kōi |
Time-wasting |
抗議 |
kōgi |
Protest (to referee) |
反則 |
hansoku |
Violation |
無効ゴール |
mukō gōru |
Disallowed goal |
Strategies & Tactics
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
フォーメーション |
fōmēshon |
Formation |
システム |
shisutemu |
System (team setup) |
4-4-2002 |
fō fō tsū |
4-4-2 formation |
4-3-2003 |
fō surī surī |
4-3-3 formation |
3-5-2002 |
surī faibu tsū |
3-5-2 formation |
ダイヤモンド型 |
daiyamondo-gata |
Diamond formation |
カウンター |
kauntā |
Counterattack |
ポゼッション |
pozesshon |
Possession play |
ハイプレス |
hai puresu |
High press |
ゾーンディフェンス |
zōn difensu |
Zonal defense |
マンツーマン |
man tsū man |
Man-to-man marking |
オーバーラップ |
ōbārappu |
Overlap |
サイドチェンジ |
saido chenji |
Switch play (change sides) |
ビルドアップ |
birudo appu |
Build-up play |
ロングボール |
rongu bōru |
Long ball |
ショートカウンター |
shōto kauntā |
Quick counter |
パスワーク |
pasuwāku |
Passing work |
トランジション |
toranjishon |
Transition |
攻撃 |
kōgeki |
Attack |
守備 |
shubi |
Defense |
Set Pieces
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
セットプレー |
setto purē |
Set piece |
フリーキック |
furī kikku |
Free kick |
ダイレクトフリーキック |
dairekuto furī kikku |
Direct free kick |
間接フリーキック |
kansetsu furī kikku |
Indirect free kick |
ペナルティキック |
penaruti kikku |
Penalty kick |
PK戦 |
pēkē sen |
Penalty shootout |
コーナーキック |
kōnā kikku |
Corner kick |
スローイン |
surōin |
Throw-in |
ゴールキック |
gōru kikku |
Goal kick |
キックオフ |
kikku ofu |
Kickoff |
サインプレー |
sain purē |
Signal play |
セット戦術 |
setto senjutsu |
Set play tactics |
ヘディングシュート |
hedingu shūto |
Header shot (from set piece) |
壁 |
kabe |
Wall (free kick defense) |
二列目 |
niremme |
Second line (players behind attackers) |
セカンドボール |
sekando bōru |
Second ball (loose ball after set play) |
リスタート |
risutāto |
Restart (of play) |
キッカー |
kikkā |
Kick taker |
クロスボール |
kurosu bōru |
Cross ball |
デッドボール |
deddo bōru |
Dead ball situation |
Rules & Game Terms
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
ルール |
rūru |
Rule |
サッカー規則 |
sakkā kisoku |
Soccer rules |
試合開始 |
shiai kaishi |
Start of match |
試合終了 |
shiai shūryō |
End of match |
前半 |
zenhan |
First half |
後半 |
kōhan |
Second half |
アディショナルタイム |
adishonaru taimu |
Additional time |
ロスタイム |
rosutaimu |
Injury time |
延長戦 |
enchōsen |
Extra time |
ゴールデンゴール |
gōruden gōru |
Golden goal |
シルバーゴール |
shirubā gōru |
Silver goal |
キックオフ |
kikku ofu |
Kickoff |
フィニッシュ |
finishu |
Finish (ending play/shot) |
無効試合 |
mukō shiai |
Void match |
勝ち点 |
kachiten |
Points (in standings) |
勝ち点3 |
kachiten san |
3 points (for win) |
勝ち点1 |
kachiten ichi |
1 point (for draw) |
勝ち点0 |
kachiten zero |
0 points (for loss) |
勝ち抜き戦 |
kachinuki sen |
Knockout match |
リーグ戦 |
rīgu sen |
League match |
Training & Practice
Kana |
Romaji |
Meaning |
練習 |
renshū |
Practice / Training |
トレーニング |
torēningu |
Training |
合宿 |
gasshuku |
Training camp |
ウォーミングアップ |
wōmingu appu |
Warming up |
クールダウン |
kūru daun |
Cool down |
ランニング |
ran’ningu |
Running |
体力測定 |
tairyoku sokutei |
Fitness test |
パス練習 |
pasu renshū |
Passing drill |
シュート練習 |
shūto renshū |
Shooting drill |
ドリブル練習 |
doriburu renshū |
Dribbling drill |
サーキットトレーニング |
sākitto torēningu |
Circuit training |
スプリント |
supurinto |
Sprint |
筋トレ |
kintore |
Strength training |
持久力 |
jikūryoku |
Endurance |
基礎練習 |
kiso renshū |
Basic practice |
実戦練習 |
jissen renshū |
Match practice |
コンディション |
kondishon |
Physical condition |
怪我予防 |
kega yobō |
Injury prevention |
回復 |
kaifuku |
Recovery |
栄養 |
eiyō |
Nutrition |
These 200+ football terms give you the tools to enjoy the game at a deeper level, whether you’re playing on the pitch, watching the J-League, or chatting with friends.
=>Visit the Mizii website or download the Mizii app from the App Store or Google Play today and start learn Japanese soccer vocabulary!
>> Read more:
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