Japanese word

本塁

Pronunciation

Romajihonrui

Meaning

  • nounhome plate

Example

三塁走者が本塁に戻ります。san rui sō sha ga hon rui ni modo ri ma su

The runner on third returns to home plate.

Illustration for 本塁 (home plate)

More examples

捕手は本塁を守りながら、走者の動きを見ています。ho shu wa hon rui o mamo ri na ga ra sō sha no ugo ki o mi te i ma su

The catcher watches the runner while guarding home plate.

Core concept

It refers to the main place that anchors movement or defense, from a scoring base in baseball to a fortified stronghold.

Common phrases

  • 本塁に戻るhon rui ni modo ru

    return to home plate

  • 本塁を踏むhon rui o fu mu

    step on home plate

  • 本塁を守るhon rui o mamo ru

    guard home plate

Similar words

ホームhōmu: A common baseball term for the five-sided plate where a runner scores.

Definition in Japanese

野球で走者が得点するときに踏む塁、または本拠となる堅固なとりで。ya kyū de sō sha ga toku ten su ru to ki ni fu mu rui ma ta wa hon kyo to na ru ken go na to ri de

Word origin

本塁 (honrui) is formed from 本 (hon, "main") and 塁 (rui, "rampart" or "fort"). Its basic sense is a main fortified base, while baseball uses it for home plate.

Usage tips

  • Unlike home in ordinary English, home in home plate names a fixed point on the field, a distinction that helps explain why 本塁 (honrui) can denote both a scoring base and a defended main position.

Other meanings

  • strongholdnoun

Word lists with this word