fort · base

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 塁 means a fortification and denotes a base in baseball. Its on-reading is るい.
• Basic usage: 出塁(しゅつるい) means reaching base, while 満塁(まんるい) means bases loaded, with runners on first, second, and third.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Reaching base and the bases-loaded situation
  • 四球を選んで出塁しました means that someone drew a walk and reached base. 出塁 includes reaching base on a walk as well as on a hit.
  • 満塁で打席に立った means that someone came to bat with the bases loaded. 満塁 describes the arrangement of runners when the batter steps up.