The Essential Pokémon TCG Vernacular: A Beginner’s Guide to All the Terms You’ll Hear
New to Japanese Pokémon cards and feeling a bit lost when people mention booster boxes, SARs, chase cards, or pull rates? This guide walks through the most common Pokémon TCG terms in simple language so you can shop, collect, and open packs with confidence.
One of the simplest of terms which can be confusing for beginners are booster boxes and booster packs. In plain english - these are just a pack of cards and a sealed box of packs. Packs contain between 5-10 cards (depending on the set) and boxes contain between 10-30 packs of cards. You can chose to buy a few packs or if you are feeling game you can buy the whole box and open to your hearts content.
There is no real right and wrong place to start if you are looking to open packs. Some sets offer better "hit rates" than others, making sure you get some nice shiny cards more often. Other sets will have some very high priced chase cards which allow you to potentially come away with a very desirable hit. We are constantly updating our data in an effort to make set selection as easy as possible for your needs.
If you’d like to browse while you read, you can: view all Japanese booster boxes and packs, check out our curated beginner sets, or explore the full Japanese collections guide.
Quick Glossary (A–Z)
Tap a term to jump straight to its explanation.
Booster Box
A booster box is a sealed display containing multiple booster packs. It’s the standard way collectors buy larger quantities of a set. Japanese boxes are usually:
- 30 packs of 5 cards for most standard sets
- 20 packs of 7 cards for special “holiday-style” sets (e.g. 151, Black Bolt, White Flare)
- 10 packs of 10 cards for high-class sets (e.g. Shiny Treasure ex)
Boxes are popular because they offer more consistent pull rates and a better chance at big hits than buying random loose packs.
Start exploring sealed boxes here: Japanese Booster Boxes.
Booster Pack
A booster pack is the smallest sealed product you can buy. Each pack contains a handful of cards from one set and gives you a chance to pull rare cards.
- Standard Japanese packs: 5 cards
- Holiday-style packs: 7 cards (e.g. 151, Black Bolt, White Flare)
- High-class packs: 10 cards with multiple guaranteed hits
Packs are perfect if you want the fun of opening without committing to a full box. Browse our Japanese Booster Packs.
Chase Card
A chase card is the card everyone wants from a set – usually the most valuable, iconic, or visually stunning card. These are often:
- SAR Pokémon (Special Art Rares)
- SAR Trainers
- Gold UR cards
- Fan-favourite Pokémon like Charizard, Pikachu, Eevee, Mew, etc.
When collectors say they’re “chasing” a card, they mean they’re opening packs or buying singles specifically to get that card.
Hit / Pull
A hit (or pull) is any card above normal rarity that feels special to open. Depending on who you ask, this can include:
- ex cards
- Art Rares / Illustration Rares (AR / IR)
- SR, SAR, UR cards
- Occasionally even regular holos, if the set is tough
When someone says “this box had 8 hits”, they’re counting all of those premium cards.
Rarities & Symbols (Japanese Cards)
Japanese cards use small symbols at the bottom to show rarity. Here are the main ones you’ll see:
- C – Common
- U – Uncommon
- R – Rare (often a holo)
- RR – Double Rare (typically basic ex cards)
- AR / IR – Art Rare / Illustration Rare (full-art style artwork)
- SR – Super Rare (full-art Pokémon or Trainers)
- SAR – Special Art Rare (alternate-art, usually top chase cards)
- UR – Ultra Rare (often textured gold cards)
As a rule of thumb, the further down this list you go, the rarer and more desirable the card.
Pokémon ex
Pokémon ex are powerful Pokémon cards that returned in the Scarlet & Violet era. They:
- Have higher HP and stronger attacks than most regular cards
- Often appear as RR (Double Rare) and SR/SAR versions
- Are some of the most common “hits” you’ll pull from a box
Many modern chase cards are ex Pokémon with Special Art Rare artwork.
Ultra Rares (General Term)
Ultra rare is a loose term collectors use for any high-rarity card. It usually covers:
- ex cards
- Full-art SRs
- SARs
- Gold URs
- Some AR / IR cards, depending on context
If someone says “I got 5 ultra rares in this box”, they’re talking about these premium-tier pulls.
Pull Rate
Pull rate describes how likely you are to pull certain types of cards from a booster box. Pokémon doesn’t publish official rates, but community data suggests that a typical Japanese standard box includes something like:
- 1 SR or higher guaranteed
- 1 SAR per box in many modern sets (sometimes you’ll hit 0, sometimes 2)
- Multiple RR ex and AR/IR cards
High-class sets are different – almost every pack has multiple hits, so the “pull rate” feels much higher.
High-Class Set
A high-class set is a special Japanese release (usually near the end of the year) packed with hits and shiny reprints. Key features:
- 10 cards per pack
- Multiple hits in every pack
- Large number of SR, SAR, and UR cards
- Often contains shiny Pokémon or premium reprints
Popular examples include Shiny Treasure ex, VSTAR Universe, and VMAX Climax.
If you want maximum excitement per pack, high-class boxes are a great place to start: view high-class options.
Holiday / Mini Set
Collectors often call sets like 151, Black Bolt, and White Flare “holiday sets” or “mini sets”. They typically:
- Have 20 packs per box
- Include 7 cards per pack
- Focus on a strong theme or popular Pokémon
- Offer great artwork and a tight chase lineup
These sets are perfect if you want something more curated than a big mainline release, but not as crazy as a high-class set.
God Pack
A God Pack is an ultra-rare booster pack where every card is a hit (e.g. all AR/SAR or all ultra rares). They don’t appear in every set, but when they do, they’re one of the most exciting things you can open.
Promo Card
A promo card is a special card that doesn’t come from standard booster packs. It might be:
- Included in a Pokémon Center Special Box
- Given away as part of a campaign or event
- Packed with accessories like sleeves or deck boxes
Many Japanese promos end up being highly collectable because they’re limited and never reprinted in the same way.
Set Code & Era
Every Japanese set has a set code (like SV2a for 151 or SV4a for Shiny Treasure ex) and belongs to an era (e.g. Sword & Shield, Scarlet & Violet, Mega Series, etc.).
The set code helps you:
- Identify which cards come from which product
- Match Japanese sets to their English equivalents
- Look up card lists and chase cards more easily
For a deeper dive into specific eras, check out our Scarlet & Violet era collection.
Sealed Product
Sealed means the item is still in its original factory packaging and hasn’t been opened or tampered with. For booster boxes, that usually means:
- Factory shrink wrap intact
- No resealing, cutting, or re-taping
- Original condition as it left the distributor
At TC Game all boxes and packs are authentic and factory sealed – no reseals, ever.
English vs Japanese Terms
Many English terms have rough equivalents in Japanese card language. Here’s a quick comparison:
| English Term | Japanese / Usage |
|---|---|
| Full Art | Usually SR (Super Rare) |
| Alt Art | Usually SAR (Special Art Rare) |
| Gold Rare | UR (Ultra Rare) |
| Trainer Gallery | Often AR / IR style cards |
| Secret Rare | Generally anything SR, SAR, or UR |
Once you get used to the Japanese symbols, it becomes much easier to compare English and Japanese cards side by side.
Where Should Beginners Start?
If this is your first time buying Japanese Pokémon cards, the easiest way to get going is:
- Pick a Booster Box or Beginner Set with artwork you love.
- Learn the rarity symbols (R, RR, AR, SR, SAR, UR).
- Track your hits and start building a small collection of favourites.
We’ve hand-picked some beginner-friendly options here: Japanese Pokémon Beginner Sets and you can always browse everything in Pokémon Booster Boxes and Packs.
FAQ: Pokémon TCG Terms & Products
What’s the difference between a booster box and a booster pack?
A booster pack is a single sealed pack with a small number of cards (5, 7, or 10 depending on the set). A booster box is a sealed display containing many packs – usually 20–30 packs for standard or holiday sets, or 10 packs for high-class sets. Boxes are better if you want consistent pulls; packs are better for casual opening.
Are Japanese Pokémon cards compatible with English decks?
Yes. The game rules are the same, and Japanese cards are tournament legal in regions that allow foreign-language cards (the text just appears in Japanese). Many players sleeve Japanese cards together with English ones in the same deck.
How many hits should I expect from a Japanese booster box?
It varies by set, but most modern Japanese boxes contain multiple ex / RR hits, several AR/IR cards, at least one SR or higher, and often an SAR. High-class boxes have much higher hit density, with multiple hits in almost every pack.
What product type is best for beginners?
If you’re just starting out, we recommend beginner-friendly boxes and sets with strong artwork and decent pull rates, such as curated options in our Japanese Beginner Sets collection. You’ll learn the rarities quickly and still get a fun mix of hits.
Are all products on TC Game authentic and sealed?
Yes. All boxes and packs at TC Game are sourced from trusted distributors in Japan, are 100% authentic, and arrive factory sealed. Orders ship from Melbourne with protective packaging so your cards arrive in the best possible condition.
