三 位(さんい)

さんい

noun

third place; third rank

1. third place; third rank; bronze medal position

The third position in a ranking, competition, or hierarchy. In sporting events, third place typically receives a bronze medal.

三位(さんい)に入賞(にゅうしょう)した。

She placed third.

今季(こんき)のリーグ戦(せん)で三位(さんい)に終(お)わった。

They finished third in this season's league.

オリンピックで三位(さんい)に入(はい)り、銅(どう)メダルを獲得(かくとく)したことは大(おお)きな誇(ほこ)りだ。

Placing third at the Olympics and winning a bronze medal is a great source of pride.

Part of the ordinal ranking series: 一位(いちい) (first), 二位(にい) (second), 三位(さんい) (third), 四位(よんい) (fourth), etc. The counter 位(い) is used for rankings and placings.

In historical contexts, 三位(さんみ) (read さんみ) refers to the third rank in the ancient court ranking system (位階(いかい)), as in 従三位(じゅさんみ) (Junior Third Rank). The modern reading さんい is used for competitive rankings.

Common collocations

三位(さんい)に入(はい)る: to place third
三位(さんい)に入賞(にゅうしょう)する: to win third place (formal)
三位(さんい)決定戦(けっていせん): third-place match; bronze medal match
三位(さんい)一体(いったい): the Trinity (Christian theology)

Similar words

三番(さんばん): third (in a sequence) — for ordering, not competitive ranking
三等(さんとう): third class; third grade — for quality/class distinctions
一位(いちい): first place — the top rank

Related Words

Related: 一位(いちい)

Related: 二位(にい) (second place)

general

Added 2026.4.30 21:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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