Translation guide
A strike with the head, used in fights, sports, or as an aggressive gesture. Japanese has specific verbs and nouns for this action, often with nuances of intensity or context.
The physical action of hitting a person or animal with your own head, typically in a fight or confrontation.
The most common noun for a headbutt. Can be used with する to mean 'to headbutt'.
彼は相手に頭突きをした。
He headbutted his opponent.
喧嘩で頭突きを食らった。
I got headbutted in a fight.
The verb form using する. Very common in spoken and written Japanese.
彼は突然私に頭突きしてきた。
He suddenly headbutted me.
Literally 'to hit one's head against something'. Can be used for accidental bumps or intentional headbutts, but less specific than 頭突き.
This phrase is ambiguous; it can mean accidentally bumping your head. Use 頭突き for deliberate strikes.
彼は怒って壁に頭をぶつけた。
He angrily headbutted the wall.
Loanword from English, used in sports contexts like soccer or martial arts, or in video games. Not common in everyday speech.
サッカーでヘッドバットをするとレッドカードだ。
If you headbutt in soccer, it's a red card.
Using a headbutt motion as a threat or intimidation without necessarily making full contact.
Literally 'headbutt stance'. Describes the posture of preparing to headbutt, often as a threat.
彼は頭突きの構えで睨んできた。
He glared at me, ready to headbutt.
To thrust one's head forward aggressively, often as a provocation.
彼は頭を突き出して挑発した。
He thrust his head forward provocatively.
A headbutt as a foul or technique in sports.
Used in sports contexts as well, though ヘッドバット may be used in some sports.
あの選手は頭突きで退場になった。
That player was sent off for a headbutt.
Common in soccer and combat sports commentary.
彼はヘッドバットで相手を倒した。
He knocked down his opponent with a headbutt.
ヘッドバット is mainly a sports or gaming term. In daily conversation about fights or accidents, 頭突き is much more natural.
昨日、酔っ払いに頭突きされた。
Yesterday, a drunk guy headbutted me.