noun
marionette manipulation; puppet control with strings
Refers to the art or act of manipulating a marionette using strings. Often used in traditional Japanese puppet theater contexts.
彼は糸操りの技術を長年練習している。
He has been practicing the art of marionette manipulation for many years.
操り人形 is the puppet itself, while 糸操り refers to the act or technique of manipulating it with strings.
Compound of 糸 (thread, string) and 操り (manipulation, from 操る). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term transparently describes string-based puppet control.