優勝

ゆうしょう

overall victory, championship

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"優勝" (ゆうしょう) means winning first place or the championship in a competition or tournament. It is commonly used in sports, games, and contests to indicate the overall winner.

Common Contexts

You will often hear "優勝" in contexts like sports events, school competitions, or any contest where there is a clear winner. It can refer to both individual and team victories.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 優勝する: to win the championship
  • 優勝候補 (ゆうしょうこうほ): championship contender
  • 優勝賞金: prize money for winning
  • 全国大会で優勝する: to win the national tournament

Register and Nuance

"優勝" is a neutral and formal noun, suitable for both spoken and written Japanese. It is often used in news reports, announcements, and casual conversations about competitions.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "優勝" with "勝つ" (to win) which is more general. "優勝" specifically means winning the entire competition, not just a single match or game. Use "優勝" when referring to the overall champion.

Example Sentences

かれのチームがぜんこくたいかいでゆうしょうした。

His team won the national championship.

ゆうしょうをめざしてまいにちれんしゅうしています。

I practice every day aiming for the championship.

ゆうしょうしょうきんはいっせんまんえんです。

The prize money for the championship is ten million yen.