1.
cheering squad; pep squad; cheerleading team
An organized group that leads cheers and encourages athletes or competitors, especially at school sporting events. In Japan, traditional 応援団 are known for their military-style discipline and coordinated chants.
応援団が声を張り上げた。
The cheering squad raised their voices.
高校時代は応援団に入っていた。
I was in the cheering squad in high school.
甲子園では各校の応援団が熱い声援を送る。
At Koshien, each school's cheering squad sends passionate cheers.
2.
support group; group of supporters; fan base
More broadly, any group of people who actively support a person, team, cause, or organization.
彼には強力な応援団がいる。
He has a strong group of supporters behind him.
地元の応援団がスタジアムを埋め尽くした。
The local supporters filled the stadium.
選挙活動を支える応援団を結成した。
They formed a support group to back the election campaign.
Composed of 応援 (support/cheering) + 団 (group/team). Japanese school 応援団 are distinctive: they typically feature a 団長 (squad leader) in a traditional long coat who leads synchronized chants and gestures, quite different from Western cheerleading.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 応援団長: cheering squad leader
- 応援団に入る: to join the cheering squad
- 応援団を結成する: to form a support group
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Traditional school 応援団 are known for strict hierarchical discipline, loud rhythmic cheering, and distinctive uniforms (often a long black coat called 学ラン). They are a staple of Japanese school culture and appear frequently in manga and anime.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- チアリーダー: cheerleader — Western-style cheerleading, now also common in Japan
- サポーター: supporter — mainly used for sports fan groups
- 応援する: to cheer; to support — the verb form