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サークル活動 vs 部活動

English translation: hobby group activities vs club activities

07:06 Jul 27, 2010
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Education / Pedagogy
Japanese term or phrase: サークル活動 vs 部活動
Hello! These both appear in my document, and even in the same sentence. In my head they are both "club activities."

Does anyone have a good way to translate using different terms for each?

Thanks for any help!
Harvey Beasley
Local time: 10:03
English translation:hobby group activities vs club activities
Explanation:
Generally, a 部活動 is supposed to be more serious. If it's a sport club, the members have training sessions in the morning before lectures and also after school, probably at least three times a week, and participate in tournaments, etc. etc. Also, I would expect that it has a coach or manager in charge; it's more official.

If it's a サークル活動, the members may play the same sport as above, but just for fun in principle. サークル (or 同好会） simply refers to a group of people with a same hobby, gathering periodically to enjoy it together.

I'm not sure what English terms would be the most suitable translations for them, but that's how I differentiate them in my native Japanese.

Hope this helps.
Selected response from:

Junko F
Japan
Local time: 10:03
Grading comment
Excellent thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2hobby group activities vs club activities
Junko F
4 -1sports & martial arts related activities vs others
bishan sharma
3club activities at school and university
Tomoyuki Kono
Summary of reference entries provided
FYI
cinefil

  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
sports & martial arts related activities vs others


Explanation:
In Japanese schools generally for sports and martial arts related activities they form a 部　and for all other extracurricular activities they form a クラブ.

bishan sharma
Local time: 06:33
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Yasu Hosomatsu: 部活動には茶道部とか劇研究部などスポーツに関係しないものも含まれます
11 hrs
  -> 承知致しました。Bishan
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
club activities at school and university


Explanation:
サークル活動 is used with reference to university/college activities whereas 部活動 is predominantly used with reference to school activities.

Tomoyuki Kono
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  ymmoss
8 hrs
disagree  Yasu Hosomatsu: サークル is a status for group activity that is not yet granted the official status of 部
11 hrs
  -> Fair enough; perhaps I overstated my case about the term 部活動 but the contrast which the asker wishes to understand seems to depend on context. My point was that サークル never refers to school-level activities. But at university level you are of course right.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
hobby group activities vs club activities


Explanation:
Generally, a 部活動 is supposed to be more serious. If it's a sport club, the members have training sessions in the morning before lectures and also after school, probably at least three times a week, and participate in tournaments, etc. etc. Also, I would expect that it has a coach or manager in charge; it's more official.

If it's a サークル活動, the members may play the same sport as above, but just for fun in principle. サークル (or 同好会） simply refers to a group of people with a same hobby, gathering periodically to enjoy it together.

I'm not sure what English terms would be the most suitable translations for them, but that's how I differentiate them in my native Japanese.

Hope this helps.

Junko F
Japan
Local time: 10:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Excellent thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yasu Hosomatsu
10 hrs
agree  Leochan
15 hrs
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Reference comments


15 mins
Reference: FYI

Reference information:
http://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/5028319.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2010-07-27 07:22:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/クラブ活動

cinefil
Japan
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 28
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