In 2008, while studying in Shanghai with CET, I was lucky enough to play and 'intern' with the Shanghai Golden Eagles. As a part of the CET Shanghai program, we needed to find an internship during our semester abroad. I was lucky enough to 'intern' with the pro team in Shanghai, which really meant I just got to play baseball while my classmates were at a desk:). As we continue to build our vocab lists, I recalled not knowing a single word of baseball vocab going into the job and thought why not put that together with a little intro on the baseball landscape in China. Enjoy!
-Jamie
Baseball, known as bàng qiú (棒球), has a growing presence in China, although it is not yet as popular as other sports like basketball or soccer. Baseball was first introduced to China in the late 1800s by American missionaries, and it gained some popularity in the early 20th century. However, the sport was suppressed during the Cultural Revolution and did not regain its popularity until the 1990s.
Currently, there are professional baseball leagues in China, including the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) and the Baseball Challenge League (BCL). The CPBL was established in 1989 and currently has four teams, while the BCL was established in 2017 and currently has six teams. Both leagues have Chinese and foreign players. In recent years, China has been making efforts to develop baseball and increase its popularity. The Chinese government has invested in baseball infrastructure, including building new baseball stadiums and training facilities. In addition, Major League Baseball (MLB) has been working to promote baseball in China, hosting baseball clinics and games in the country.
Despite these efforts, baseball still faces challenges in China. One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of understanding of the sport among the general public. Many Chinese people are not familiar with the rules of baseball and have not had the opportunity to watch the sport live. Another challenge is the competition from other popular sports in China, which attract more fans and receive more media coverage. With continued investment and promotion, it is possible that baseball could become a more popular sport in China in the future.
棒球 (bàng qiú) - baseball
投手 (tóu shǒu) - pitcher
打击 (dǎ jī) - batting
打者 (dǎ zhě) - batter
捕手 (bǔ shǒu) - catcher
游击手 (yóu jī shǒu) - shortstop
一垒手 (yī lěi shǒu) - first baseman
二垒手 (èr lěi shǒu) - second baseman
三垒手 (sān lěi shǒu) - third baseman
外野手 (wài yě shǒu) - outfielder
内野手 (nèi yě shǒu) - infielder
本垒打 (běn lěi dǎ) - home run
保送 (bǎo sòng) - walk
触击 (chù jī) - bunt
长打 (cháng dǎ) - extra base hit
打点 (dǎ diǎn) - RBI (run batted in)
失误 (shī wù) - error
全垒打 (quán lěi dǎ) - grand slam
绝杀 (jué shā) - walk-off hit
单打 (dān dǎ) - single
二垒打 (èr lěi dǎ) - double
三垒打 (sān lěi dǎ) - triple
中继投手 (zhōng jì tóu shǒu) - relief pitcher
先发投手 (xiān fā tóu shǒu) - starting pitcher
抢接 (qiǎng jiē) - diving catch
滚地球 (gǔn dì qiú) - ground ball
飞球 (fēi qiú) - fly ball
界外球 (jiè wài qiú) - ball
好球 (hǎo qiú) - strike
界内安打 (jiè nèi ān dǎ) - hit inside the baseline
外野安打 (wài yě ān dǎ) - hit to the outfield
打破纪录 (dǎ pò jì lù) - break a record
奥运会棒球比赛 (ào yùn huì bàng qiú bǐ sài) - Olympic baseball game
世界棒球经典赛 (shì jiè bàng qiú jīng diǎn sài) - World Baseball Classic
美国职业棒球大联盟 (měi guó zhí yè bàng qiú dà lián méng) - Major League Baseball (MLB)