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脇役 (わきやく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
supporting role ; minor role
Used in theater, film, and TV for a role that is not the lead. Also used metaphorically for a person or thing that plays a secondary part in a situation.
だ
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In this project, I intend to stick to a supporting role.
Written forms 脇わき 役やく Usage 91%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
わき 役やく Usage 7%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; sometimes used for clarity.
傍わき 役やく Usage 2%
Variant kanji spelling; less common.
Kanji 脇 armpit, the other way, another place 傍 bystander, side, besides Similar words 主しゅ 役やく 主役 is the lead role or protagonist, while 脇役 is a supporting or minor role.
端は 役やく 端役 is a bit part or very minor role, often with few lines, whereas 脇役 can be a significant supporting character.
Etymology Compound of 脇 (waki, 'side') and 役 (yaku, 'role'). The kanji 脇 suggests something off to the side, hence a role that is not central.
