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Physical activities or games involving skill, competition, or physical exertion, often with rules and organized structures.
彼女はスポーツを通して健康を維持しています。
She maintains her health through sports.
学校では様々なスポーツを行います。
We participate in various sports at school.
スポーツ can refer to both individual and team sports, as well as competitive and recreational activities.
While both words can translate to 'exercise' or 'sports,' 運動 (undō) refers more broadly to physical activity or exercise (e.g., 朝の運動 morning exercise), whereas スポーツ (supōtsu) specifically refers to organized sports or athletic competitions. For example, 'playing soccer' is サッカーをする (sakkā o suru), not 運動をする (undō o suru).
スポーツ is a noun and typically requires a verb like する (suru, to do) to indicate action. For example, 'I play sports' is スポーツをします (supōtsu o shimasu). Avoid using スポーツ as a verb directly (e.g., not 'スポーツする').
Derived from the English word 'sports,' which itself comes from the Old French 'desport' meaning 'pleasure, amusement, pastime.' The term was adopted into Japanese during the Meiji era (late 19th century) as part of modernization efforts to describe Western-style athletic activities.
スポーツ is a broad term that includes both traditional Japanese sports (e.g., 柔道 judo, 相撲 sumo) and Western sports (e.g., サッカー soccer, テニス tennis). It is commonly used in educational, recreational, and professional contexts. The term can also be used metaphorically, as in 'スポーツカー' (sports car).