Translation guide
The English word "bat" has two main meanings: a flying mammal and a piece of sports equipment. These are completely different words in Japanese, so context is essential.
Referring to the nocturnal flying mammal.
Referring to the piece of equipment used to hit a ball in sports.
Loanword from English, used for baseball, softball, and cricket bats.
Referring to the act of batting in sports.
General verb meaning 'to hit'. Used in baseball for batting.
The standard word for the animal. Can be written in kanji as 蝙蝠, but katakana is more common.
洞窟にコウモリがたくさんいる。
There are many bats in the cave.
コウモリは夜行性だ。
Bats are nocturnal.
彼は新しいバットを買った。
He bought a new bat.
バットでボールを打つ。
Hit the ball with a bat.
Used for table tennis bats (paddles). Not used for baseball.
卓球のラケットを忘れた。
I forgot my table tennis bat.
彼はホームランを打った。
He batted a home run.
Loanword verb meaning 'to bat' or 'to practice batting'.
明日、バッティングセンターに行く。
I'm going to the batting center tomorrow.