HOME > WordMaster® > CLUB vs. TEAM | クラブ vs. チーム

For Life
2009.08.03(Review of 2001.08.13 edition)

Greetings! They call baseball “the great American pastime.” But given the enormous popularity of the sport in Japan and the way that some Japanese players have been dominating the Major Leagues these days, baseball seems to have become “the great JAPANESE pastime” as well.

Baseball fans from both countries have a lot to talk about, but, unfortunately, a good bit of Japanese-English has too often gotten in the way - until now! It's game one of the WordMaster Series of Baseball. Enjoy!

Today's LessonCATEGORY: 混同しやすい言葉CATEGORY: ジャパニーズイングリッシュ
CLUB vs. TEAM   クラブ vs. チーム

Explanation

  • A club is an organized group of people who get together periodically, especially to participate in activities of common interest. A club can also be the building or rooms that such a group uses.

    A team is a group of people who play a sport or game together against another such group.

    Be Careful[1]! In U.S. schools, most student groups who play sports or games together are called teams, NOT clubs, since they compete against other schools. Clubs, on the other hand, include groups such as the drama club, the ikebanaclub, or groups that play sports for fun, but do NOT compete against other schools.

    Be Careful[2]! We say that a person is IN a club, but ON a team.

    Be Careful[3]! In English, the word “circle” is NOT used like the Japanese サークル to mean club.
  • club は、特に共通の趣味の活動をするために、定期的に集まる団体、つまり、クラブのことです。また、そのような団体が使用する建物や部屋のこともさします。

    team は、他の同様のグループを相手に、スポーツや試合を一緒にする人の集まり、つまり、チームのことです。

    注意1:アメリカの学校では、スポーツや試合を一緒にする、ほとんどの学生のグループは、他校と競うので、 club ではなく team と言います。一方、 club には、 the drama club (演劇部)や the ikebanaclub (華道部)、また、楽しむためにスポーツをして他校と競うことはしないグループが含まれます。

    注意2:クラブに所属していると言う場合、 IN a club と言いますが、チームの場合は、 ON a team と言います。

    注意3:英語の circle という言葉は、日本語の「サークル」のように club の意味では使いません。

CLUB vs. TEAM

examples

  1. a: Are you in any clubs at school?
    b: I've been in the tea ceremony club since my freshman year.
  2. (at a club fair at her university)
    a: How do I join the English conversation club?
    b: Their table is right over there. You can talk to some of the members, sign up, and find out when their next meeting is.
  3. I really enjoy going to the tennis club after work. There are six indoor courts, a coffee shop to relax in, and the other members are a lot of fun.
  4. When I was on the tennis team in college, we won the All Kanto Tournament. One of my teammates was ranked number two in the country.
  5. My son's high school swimming team really trains hard. They've got practice every day, including weekends.

英会話レッスンCome back tomorrow for more exciting baseball action!