also: めいセリフ · めいゼリフ · めいぜりふ
famous line; famous quote
Refers to a memorable or iconic line from a movie, book, play, or speech. Often used in entertainment contexts.
This movie has many famous lines.
The last words of his speech have been passed down as a famous quote.
The scene where the hero delivers his famous line moves me every time I watch it.
That movie left behind many famous lines.
Numerous famous lines came out of this drama.
His one remark later became a famous line.
決め台詞 is a signature catchphrase a character repeats, while 名台詞 is any single line that became famous, whether repeated or not.
名句 usually refers to a famous phrase or verse, often poetic or literary, while 名台詞 is tied to spoken dialogue in a script or performance.
Standard kanji spelling using 台詞 for せりふ. Also read めいぜりふ.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling with voiced ゼ. Less common than 名セリフ.
Mixed kanji-hiragana spelling with voiced ぜ. Rarely used.
Common mixed kanji-katakana spelling. Katakana セリフ is widely used for 'lines/dialogue'.
Mixed kanji-hiragana spelling. Hiragana せりふ is a softer written variant.
Compound of 名 (めい, 'famous') and 台詞 (せりふ, 'line/dialogue'). The word 台詞 itself is of uncertain origin, possibly from 競り (せり, 'bidding') + 言ふ (いう, 'to say') or a contraction of 科白 (しろ, 'gesture') + 言ふ.