This toy has many interesting mechanisms.
A calculated scheme or deceptive setup, often in games, strategy, or interpersonal situations.
彼の親切はただの仕掛けだった。
His kindness was just a trick.
将棋で巧みな仕掛けを使って勝った。
He won by using a clever gambit in shogi.
small scale; half-finished
Rare; refers to something on a small scale or left incomplete. Often seen in compound contexts like 仕掛け仕事 (piecework) or 仕掛け品 (work in progress).
この工場では仕掛け品が山積みになっている。
Half-finished goods are piled up in this factory.
setting up; preparation; commencement
The act of starting or arranging something; often used in the sense of laying out a plan or initiating a process.
イベントの仕掛けはもう整っている。
The preparations for the event are already in place.
新事業の仕掛けに時間がかかった。
Setting up the new business took time.
Rare; used in competitive contexts like shogi or go for an aggressive move or challenge. Not common in everyday speech.
彼は鋭い仕掛けで相手を追い詰めた。
He cornered his opponent with a sharp attack.
The box had a device built in that made a sound when opened.
As soon as someone approached the door, the mechanism activated and music started playing.
He quickly figured out the trick behind the magic.
We fell right into his trap.
仕掛け refers to a mechanism or trick device, while ネタ specifically means the secret behind a magic trick or comedic bit.
theatrical implements; props and costumes
large-scale; elaborate; grand