戯
frolic, play, sport
Readings
On'yomi
- ギ
- ゲ
Kun'yomi
- たわむ.れる
- ざ.れる
- じゃ.れる
Meaning
戯 centers on lighthearted, playful activity: frolicking, playing, or engaging in sport for amusement rather than serious purpose.
Most common words using 戯
20 of 69- 遊戯ゆうぎ
play; playing; game
- 悪戯いたずらN3
mischief; prank; trick; practical joke
- 戯言たわごと
nonsense; silly talk; drivel; rubbish
- 戯あじゃら
pleasantry; joke; tomfoolery
- 戯言ぎげん
joke; jest
- 戯れたわむれN1
play; sport; fun; caprice; joke; jest; flirtation
- 戯曲ぎきょくN1
drama; play
- 戯けたわけ
tomfoolery; foolish act; nonsense
- 戯画ぎが
caricature; cartoon; comics
- 戯れるたわむれるN1
to be playful; to gambol; to be amused (with something); to play; to sport; to frolic; to joke
- 戯けおどけ
joke; witticism; pleasantry; attempt at humour; attempt at humor
- 戯れ言ざれごと
joke; jest; gag
- 戯れるじゃれる
to play around (of a cat, dog, etc.); to frisk; to gambol; to frolic
- お遊戯会おゆうぎかい
playing and dancing event at a preschool, kindergarten, etc.
- ガラス玉演戯ガラスだまえんぎ
The Glass Bead Game (1943 novel by Herman Hesse)
- 九柱戯きゅうちゅうぎ
nine pins; skittles
- 児戯じぎ
mere child's play
- 前戯ぜんぎ
(sexual) foreplay
- 十柱戯じっちゅうぎ
tenpin bowling
- 卓上遊戯たくじょうゆうぎ
tabletop game
Study
Etymology
戯 is the modern Japanese simplified form of 戲. The older form combines 虍 (tiger) with 豆 (vessel) and 戈 (halberd), likely depicting a ritual or mock combat that evolved to mean play or sport. The modern simplification replaces the left side with 虚, which visually suggests emptiness or insubstantiality, fitting the idea of playful, non-serious activity.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 虚 suggests emptiness or insubstantiality, and the right side 戈 is a weapon. Imagine empty, harmless mock battles with toy weapons—just frolicking and playful sport.
Reading mnemonic
For ギ, picture a playful geek (ギーク) in a mock sword fight: geek -> ギ, and the geek is frolicking with a toy halberd.