劇
drama, play
Readings
On'yomi
- ゲキ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
劇 centers on intense, staged performance: a drama or play. The idea is a vivid, often emotional spectacle enacted for an audience.
Most common words using 劇
20 of 138- 劇場げきじょうN3
theatre; theater; playhouse
- 劇げきN3
drama; play
- 悲劇ひげきN3
tragedy; tragic drama; tragic play
- 演劇えんげきN3
drama; theatre; theater; play
- 劇団げきだんN1
troupe; theatrical company
- 劇的げきてきN1
dramatic; exciting; touching
- 喜劇きげきN1
comedy
- 歌劇かげき
opera
- 惨劇さんげき
tragedy; tragic event
- 観劇かんげき
theatre-going; theater-going
- 劇画げきが
gekiga; manga with a realistic, dramatic art style and mature themes
- 劇団四季げきだんしき
Shiki Theatrical Company
- 活劇かつげき
action film; action movie; action drama
- 寸劇すんげき
short play; skit
- 宝塚歌劇団たからづかかげきだん
Takarazuka Revue
- 劇薬げきやく
powerful medicine; strong poison
- 新劇しんげき
shingeki; new drama (movement); form of Japanese theater developed towards the end of the Meiji period inspired by modern Western theater
- 帝劇ていげき
Imperial Theatre (Tokyo)
- 京劇きょうげき
classical Chinese opera
- 劇映画げきえいが
film drama
Study
Etymology
劇 combines 豦 (a wild boar) with 刂 (knife), originally suggesting a fierce struggle or intensity. The modern meaning of drama likely developed from the idea of intense, staged conflict.
Meaning mnemonic
A wild boar (豦) and a knife (刂) clash on stage—imagine a dramatic, intense play where the boar is the star performer.
Reading mnemonic
For ゲキ, picture a gecko (ゲッコー) acting in a play: the gecko's dramatic performance cues ゲキ.