前ぜん衛えい戦せん

noun

skirmish; preliminary match; prefinals

Used in sports and games for a match or round before the finals; also used in military contexts for a small-scale engagement.

• 準じゅん決けっ勝しょうの前ぜん衛えい戦せんで、彼かれは見み事ごとなプレーを見みせた。

  He showed brilliant play in the prefinals of the semifinals.

• 両りょう軍ぐんの前ぜん衛えい戦せんが始はじまった。

  A skirmish between the two armies began.