Japanese word

バレー

Pronunciation

Romajibarē

Meaning

  • nounvolleyball

Example

姉はバレーが上手です。ane wa ba rē ga jō zu de su

My sister is good at volleyball.

Illustration for バレー (volleyball)

More examples

週末に友達とバレーをして、楽しかったです。shū matsu ni tomo dachi to ba rē o shi te tano shi ka tta de su

I had fun playing volleyball with my friends on the weekend.

Core concept

Refers to an organized activity built around controlled bodily movement, whether teams compete with a ball and net or dancers perform set steps on a stage.

Common phrases

  • バレーをするba rē o su ru

    play volleyball

  • バレーの試合ba rē no shi ai

    volleyball game

  • バレーを見るba rē o mi ru

    watch volleyball

Similar words

バレーボールbarēbōru: The full term for a team sport in which players send a ball over a net.

Definition in Japanese

二つのチームがネットを挟み、ボールを床に落とさないよう手で相手側へ返して得点を争う競技。futa tsu no chī mu ga ne tto o hasa mi bō ru o yuka ni o to sa na i yō te de ai te gawa e kae shi te toku ten o araso u kyō gi

Word origin

バレー (barē) is a shortened form of バレーボール (barēbōru), borrowed from English volleyball; the related dance word バレエ (baree) comes from French ballet.

Usage tips

  • Sports news and conversation often use バレー選手 (barē senshu) for a volleyball player, showing how the short form combines naturally with words for people and activities.

Other meanings

  • balletnoun

Word lists with this word