1.
shout, yell, rallying cry, call
A loud call or shout used to encourage, coordinate action, or boost morale. Common in group activities, sports, and traditional arts.
「よいしょ！」と掛け声をかけた。
I called out 'Heave-ho!'
チームの掛け声で士気が上がった。
The team's rallying cry raised morale.
掛け声だけで終わらず、実行に移すことが大切だ。
It's important not to stop at just words but to put them into action.
KANJI:
掛け (to call out) + 声 (voice). Literally "calling voice."
USAGE:
Used in many contexts: sports cheers, group labor ("heave-ho!"), martial arts shouts (気合い), and kabuki audience calls. The phrase 掛け声をかける means "to shout/call out."
The idiomatic expression 掛け声だけ or 掛け声倒れ means "all talk and no action" — making bold declarations without following through.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 掛け声をかける: to shout, to call out
- 掛け声に合わせる: to move in time with the call
- 掛け声倒れ: all talk, no action
- 掛け声で始める: to start with a shout