指 名 打 者(しめいだしゃ)

しめいだしゃ

noun

designated hitter; DH

1. designated hitter; DH

In baseball, a player who bats in place of the pitcher in the lineup but does not play a defensive position. The rule is used in Japan's Pacific League and in Major League Baseball. Often abbreviated DH (from the English 'designated hitter').

今日(きょう)の指名打者(しめいだしゃ)は誰(だれ)ですか。

Who is today's designated hitter?

彼(かれ)は指名打者(しめいだしゃ)として先発(せんぱつ)出場(しゅつじょう)した。

He started the game as the designated hitter.

パ・リーグでは投手(とうしゅ)の代(か)わりに指名打者(しめいだしゃ)が打席(だせき)に立(た)つ。

In the Pacific League, the designated hitter bats in place of the pitcher.

Compound of 指名(しめい) ('designation; nomination') and 打者(だしゃ) ('batter'). The Japanese baseball term for 'designated hitter'.

Usage

The DH rule applies in Japan's Pacific League (パ・リーグ) but not traditionally in the Central League (セ・リーグ), though interleague rules vary.
In practice, the English abbreviation DH is used widely in Japanese sports media and scoreboards.
The designated hitter only bats; they do not take the field defensively.

Common collocations

指名打者(しめいだしゃ)制度(せいど): the designated-hitter rule/system
指名打者(しめいだしゃ)として出場(しゅつじょう)する: to start/play as the DH
指名打者(しめいだしゃ)解除(かいじょ): removal of the DH (when the DH enters the field)
専門(せんもん)指名打者(しめいだしゃ): a full-time DH

Related words

打者(だしゃ): batter — the general term.
代打(だいだ): pinch hitter — a substitute batter used for one at-bat only.
投手(とうしゅ): pitcher — the position the DH bats in place of.

Related Words

Related: 代打(だいだ) (pinch hitter)

Related: 投手(とうしゅ) (pitcher)

general

Added 2026.4.16 2:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

23500/23978_shimeidasha