sumo

sumo — noun

1. A traditional Japanese combat sport where two large wrestlers compete inside a c

1.noun
Definition

A traditional Japanese combat sport where two large wrestlers compete inside a circular ring. A wrestler claims victory by forcing the opponent outside the ring or by making any body part other than the feet hit the floor.

Example

Haruto has been training in sumo since he was twelve years old.

collocation: train in sumo

The sumo tournament in Osaka draws huge crowds every March.

sumo as modifier: sumo tournament

Common collocations
  • sumo wrestler
  • sumo match
  • sumo tournament
  • sumo bout
  • sumo ring
  • do sumo
  • practice sumo
  • train in sumo
  • try sumo

Usage Note

Sumo is an uncountable noun. It commonly appears as a modifier before nouns such as 'wrestler', 'match', 'tournament', and 'bout'. Verbs typically used with sumo include 'do', 'practice', 'train in', and 'try'.

Common Mistakes

My brother is a sumo.
My brother is a sumo wrestler.
'Sumo' is the name of the sport, not the person. A person who does sumo is called a sumo wrestler or a rikishi.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Unlike general wrestling, which allows a wide range of holds and grappling techniques, sumo has very specific rules based on pushing and throwing within a circular ring. Judo focuses on using an opponent's force against them through throws and joint locks, while sumo relies on raw power and mass to push an opponent outside the ring. Jujitsu involves strikes, kicks, and weapons training alongside grappling, whereas sumo is purely about forcing the opponent outside the ring or making any body part besides the feet make contact with the floor. For example, a judo match can end with an armbar, but a sumo match ends when one wrestler is driven from the dohyo (the straw ring) or makes contact with the floor using a hand.

wrestlingjudo ↗jujitsu

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sumo wrestler
  • sumo match
  • sumo tournament
  • sumo bout
  • sumo ring

Phrases

  • do sumo
  • practice sumo
  • train in sumo

Prepositions

  • in sumo

Etymology

JapaneseEnglish

Sumo comes from the Japanese word sumo (sumo). The first character means 'mutual' or 'together', and the second character means 'to strike' or 'to beat'. The sport has ancient roots in Shinto harvest rituals dating back over 1,500 years, where wrestlers would perform for the gods.