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開幕戦 (kaimakusen) Japanese meaning: opening game | Kotomora

開かい幕まく戦せん

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Meanings

1

opening game; season opener

Refers to the first match of a sports season or tournament. Common in baseball, soccer, and sumo contexts.

プロ野や球きゅうの開かい幕まく戦せんは来らい週しゅうの金きん曜よう日びです。

The opening game of the professional baseball season is next Friday.

開かい幕まく戦せんでいきなりホームランを打うった。

He hit a home run right in the season opener.

Kanji

開open, unfold, unseal
幕curtain, bunting, act of play
戦war, battle, match

Related words

開かい幕まく
開幕 means 'opening' or 'curtain-raising' of an event or season, while 開幕戦 specifically refers to the opening game or match.
初しょ戦せん
初戦 is a more general term for 'first match' in a tournament or series, not necessarily the season opener.

Built from

開かい幕まく+戦せん

Etymology

Compound of 開幕 (opening, curtain-raising) and 戦 (match, battle). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is a straightforward modern sports term.