最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ)

さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ
noun
Most Valuable Player; MVP
sportsperson
1. the athlete judged to have performed best in a game, tournament, or season; the Most Valuable Player (MVP)
An official award in professional and amateur sports honoring the player whose performance was judged to have contributed the most to a team's success over a given game, series, tournament, or season. Used across virtually every competitive sport in Japan — professional baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and high-school tournaments alike. Often abbreviated MVP (read エムブイピー) in Japanese sports media.
今年(ことし)の最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ)に選(えら)ばれた。
I was chosen as this year's Most Valuable Player.
決勝戦(けっしょうせん)の最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ)は彼(かれ)だった。
He was the MVP of the final.
大谷(おおたに)選手(せんしゅ)は今(こん)シーズンの最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ)賞(しょう)を獲得(かくとく)した。
Ohtani won this season's Most Valuable Player award.
彼女(かのじょ)は二年(にねん)連続(れんぞく)でリーグの最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ)に選(えら)ばれるという快挙(かいきょ)を成(な)し遂(と)げた。
She achieved the remarkable feat of being voted the league's Most Valuable Player for two years in a row.

Composed of 最(さい)- (the most, supreme) + 優秀(ゆうしゅう) (excellent, outstanding) + 選手(せんしゅ) (athlete, player). Literally "the most outstanding player." The standard Japanese rendering of "MVP."

Common collocations

Usage

Japanese sports media often use the English abbreviation MVP (read エムブイピー) interchangeably with 最優秀選手(さいゆうしゅうせんしゅ). On NHK and in official league announcements, the full Japanese form is usually preferred; in casual sports journalism and fan conversation, "MVP" is equally common.

Related award terms

  • 最優秀新人選手(さいゆうしゅうしんじんせんしゅ) / 新人王(しんじんおう): Rookie of the Year
  • 優秀選手(ゆうしゅうせんしゅ): outstanding player (a step below MVP; several may be chosen)
  • 首位打者(しゅいだしゃ): batting champion (baseball)
  • 最多勝(さいたしょう): most wins (baseball pitcher)
  • 得点王(とくてんおう): top scorer (soccer)
  • 敢闘賞(かんとうしょう): fighting-spirit award
  • 殊勲賞(しゅくんしょう): distinguished-service award

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Formal and written. Appears on trophies, in press releases, and in official team communications. Casual fans will also say MVP directly.

Related Words

Related: 新人王(しんじんおう) (Rookie of the Year)
Related: 首位(しゅい)打者(だしゃ) (batting champion)
Related: 得点王(とくてんおう) (top scorer)
general
Added 2026.4.12 6:31 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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