also: たわむれごと
noun
Refers to a playful trick or joke, often harmless and done for amusement.
彼の戯れ事にみんな大笑いした。
Everyone burst out laughing at his prank.
それはただの戯れ事だから、怒らないで。
It was just a practical joke, so don't be angry.
いたずら is a more common word for mischief or prank, while 戯れ事 is slightly more literary or old-fashioned.
Compound of 戯れ (zare, 'play, joke') + 事 (koto, 'thing, matter'), with rendaku voicing to goto. The alternate reading たわむれごと uses the older reading たわむれ for 戯れ.