エース
えーす
noun
ace; top player; ace (playing card)
1.
ace; star player; top performer
The leading player on a sports team, or by extension the most reliable person in a group. Most commonly used for the starting pitcher in baseball.
彼はチームのエースだ。
He's the ace of the team.
エース投手が先発した。
The ace pitcher started the game.
営業部のエースとして大型案件を次々と獲得している。
As the ace of the sales department, she is winning major deals one after another.
2.
ace (playing card)
The ace in a deck of playing cards.
ハートのエースを引いた。
I drew the ace of hearts.
エースが二枚揃った。
I got two aces.
ポーカーではエースが一番強いカードとして扱われる。
In poker, the ace is treated as the strongest card.
From English "ace." The sports/figurative sense is by far the more common use in everyday Japanese.
SENSE 1 (top player):
- エース投手: ace pitcher
- チームのエース: team's ace
- 不動のエース: unshakable ace; permanent fixture as ace
- 営業のエース: top salesperson
SENSE 2 (card):
- ハートのエース: ace of hearts
- エースを引く: to draw an ace
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 主力: main force; key member — overlaps with sense 1 but is broader and less individual
- 花形: star (player/performer) — more about glamour and popularity than reliability