Translation guide
A theatrical performance using puppets, common in traditional and modern Japanese culture.
A performance where puppets are manipulated for an audience, in any style.
The most common and general term for any puppet show or puppet theater.
I went to see a puppet show with my child on the weekend.
A slightly more traditional or literary term for puppet theater, often used for classical forms.
Puppet shows have been performed in this region since ancient times.
Specifically referring to the classical Japanese puppet theater known as Bunraku, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Describing a situation where someone is controlled by others, like a puppet.
Use 人形劇 for general puppet shows, including Western-style or children's performances. Use 文楽 specifically for the traditional Japanese art form. If you're unsure, 人形劇 is safe in most contexts.
The older, more technical term for Bunraku, emphasizing the narrative chanting (joruri) aspect.
Ningyo joruri is a performing art that developed in the Edo period.
その政権は単なる傀儡に過ぎない。
That regime is nothing more than a puppet.