Translation guide
A competition to determine who advances to a main event. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 予選 (yosen), but the phrasing depends on the sport and context.
A preliminary competition to select participants for a main tournament or event.
The standard term for a qualifying round or tournament in sports and competitions. Can be used as a noun or in compounds like 予選大会.
彼は予選を勝ち抜いて本戦に出場した。
He got through the qualifying tournament and participated in the main competition.
明日の予選で上位に入れば決勝に進める。
If I place high in tomorrow's qualifying tournament, I can advance to the finals.
Explicitly means 'qualifying tournament/meet'. Slightly more formal and often used in official names.
この予選大会の優勝者が全国大会に出場できます。
The winner of this qualifying tournament can participate in the national competition.
Another common term for a qualifying meet or event, often used interchangeably with 予選大会.
予選会は来週の土曜日に行われます。
The qualifying tournament will be held next Saturday.
The preliminary rounds within a tournament, not a separate event.
Also used for the qualifying rounds within a tournament. Context distinguishes it from a standalone qualifying event.
予選は午前中に行われ、本戦は午後からです。
The qualifying rounds are held in the morning, and the main tournament is from the afternoon.
Borrowed from English, used in some sports like golf or esports to refer to qualifying rounds.
予選ラウンドでトップの成績を残した。
He achieved the top score in the qualifying round.
A series of matches to determine which teams/players qualify for a major championship.
Used when the qualifying stage is a league format, common in soccer, basketball, etc.
日本代表はワールドカップ予選リーグで苦戦している。
The Japanese national team is struggling in the World Cup qualifying tournament.
Used when the qualifying stage is a knockout format.
予選トーナメントを勝ち抜くのは簡単ではない。
It's not easy to get through the qualifying tournament.
All mean 'qualifying tournament/round'. 予選 is the most general and can refer to the concept, the rounds, or the event. 予選大会 and 予選会 explicitly refer to the event itself and are slightly more formal. In many contexts they are interchangeable.
予選 can be combined with other words to specify the type of qualifying event, e.g., 地区予選 (regional qualifying), 最終予選 (final qualifying round). This is very common in sports news.
予選は東京で行われます。
The qualifying tournament will be held in Tokyo.
彼女は予選を勝ち上がり、本戦に進出した。
She won the qualifying tournament and advanced to the main draw.