バトン

ばとん
noun
baton
1. baton, relay baton
A short stick passed between runners in a relay race. Also used figuratively for passing on a role, responsibility, or tradition to the next person.
バトンを渡(わた)す。
To pass the baton.
バトンを落(お)として順位(じゅんい)が下(さ)がった。
We dropped the baton and fell in the rankings.
先輩(せんぱい)から後輩(こうはい)へバトンを渡(わた)すように、伝統(でんとう)が受(う)け継(つ)がれている。
Traditions are carried on, as if passing the baton from seniors to juniors.

Usage

バトンを渡(わた)す (to pass the baton) is extremely common both literally (in relay races) and figuratively (handing over responsibility). The figurative use appears frequently in business and organizational contexts.

Common collocations

バトンタッチ is a wasei-eigo expression meaning a smooth handover of duties. It is not used in English.

Related Words

Compare: タクト ((conductor's) baton)
general
Added 2026.2.15 19:01 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11000/11274_baton