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Cool sports festival slogans to boost team morale

A sports festival where the whole team works together toward victory.

In those electrifying moments of fierce competition, it’s the slogan that lifts everyone’s spirits!

Words that push us toward victory give us a boost when we feel like giving up or need that final burst of effort.

In this article, we introduce recommended slogans to empower you as you give your all at the sports festival!

We’ve gathered a variety of phrases: fiery words bursting with youthful energy, four-character idioms, English phrases, and playful parodies of popular lines from TV and elsewhere.

Use these suggested slogans as inspiration, and unite as one team to aim for victory!

Four-character idioms (1–10)

Where there is a will, there is a way.

This is a four-character idiom that makes you feel positive just by hearing it.

When you learn its meaning, you realize that if you have ambition and work hard, you can achieve your goals no matter how difficult the challenge.

If you call out “Yūshi kyōsei!” at a sports day or team event, it naturally boosts everyone’s spirit with a shared “Alright, let’s do our best!” Its appeal lies not only in emphasizing individual effort, but also in highlighting the importance of joining forces together.

When facing challenges or pursuing goals, remembering this phrase can encourage you—“If I keep going without giving up, it will surely lead to results.” I felt it’s a very reassuring four-character idiom.

Unity of knowledge and action

This four-character idiom teaches the importance of aligning what you know with what you actually do.

Once you understand its meaning, you realize that true strength comes not from merely having knowledge, but from putting that knowledge into action.

If you say during a sports day or team event, “Let’s keep chigyō-gōitsu in mind and move together,” it naturally raises awareness of how crucial it is to apply plans and strategies in practice.

It’s a phrase that reminds us not to stop at thinking but to take action, and I felt it’s an idiom that can encourage everyone when working together.

a sweeping view as far as the eye can see

A sweeping view for a thousand li: Meaning and example sentences of the four-character idiom @Kerokero Dictionary ◆ Just 1 minute by video! Memorable♪
a sweeping view as far as the eye can see

It’s a four-character idiom that expresses a broad field of vision, the ability to see far into the distance, or a big-picture outlook.

Knowing its meaning teaches us the importance of stepping back to see things as a whole and looking ahead.

Using it in contexts like a sports day or team event—saying, “Let’s approach this while keeping the whole in view with a ‘ichibō-senri’ mindset”—can raise awareness about assessing situations while cooperating with teammates.

It’s a phrase that reminds us to keep a wide perspective, and I feel it also serves as encouragement when you want to act calmly and planfully without rushing.

With united hearts and concerted effort

United in heart, united in effort — can you read these kanji?
With united hearts and concerted effort

It’s a four-character idiom that expresses uniting hearts with your companions and joining forces.

It shows not only individual strength but also the importance of supporting and cooperating with one another.

Using it at a sports day or team event—like, “Let’s aim for the goal with kyōshin-ryokuryoku (協心戮力)!”—naturally heightens the sense of giving your all together with your teammates.

The phrase carries the message that even things that are hard to do alone can be overcome if you work with one heart, making it a perfect word of encouragement for situations where a team takes on a challenge.

battle-hardened; seasoned (literally: experienced in a hundred battles)

Do you know the true meaning of “seasoned by a hundred battles”? #trivia #randomfacts #tidbits
battle-hardened; seasoned (literally: experienced in a hundred battles)

It represents the ability, built through repeated experience, to respond calmly and unfazed in any situation.

Just hearing it inspires reliability and composure, which is its appeal.

If you say, “Let’s take this on with a battle-hardened spirit” at a sports day or team event, you can share with your teammates the mindset of acting with faith in the results of your past effort and practice.

It’s a phrase that reminds us of the importance of turning the experiences of overcoming failures and hardships into strength, encouraging ourselves and our teammates to keep challenging—such is the four-character idiom, in my view.

Four-character idioms (11–20)

to lie on firewood and taste gall (an idiom meaning to endure hardship and persevere for future revenge or success)

Just hearing it strongly conveys determination and resolve.

It means persevering through hardships and pain, and continuing to strive to achieve your goals.

Even in everyday life, when you face difficult tasks or challenges, remembering it can help you stay positive by thinking, “This experience isn’t for nothing.” If you use it at a sports day or team event—like, “Let’s see it through to the end with a spirit of gashin-shōtan”—it naturally boosts your teammates’ morale.

It teaches the importance of overcoming difficulties and gently supports the strength to keep making efforts and taking on challenges.

That’s the kind of four-character idiom I felt it was.

with all one’s might

with all one's might

This is a phrase that expresses giving your all.

“Isshō” refers to one’s lifetime, and “kenmei” means to tackle something so seriously that you’d stake your life on it.

In other words, it means to devote yourself wholeheartedly, using all your strength.

For example, you can say, “I studied really hard to get a good score on the test,” or “I worked very hard at my job.” When you give your best effort, you’ll be able to do things you couldn’t before and gain confidence.

Even if you fail, continuing without giving up will make your heart stronger and brighter.

When you take on a challenge, try approaching it with all your might.

If you do, each day will become more enjoyable and you’ll feel more excited!