Refers to a hobby or skill pursued by a wealthy amateur, often with a connotation of being self-indulgent or lacking professional rigor. The term 旦那 (danna) suggests a patron or gentleman of leisure.
His piano playing never rises above the level of a dilettante's hobby.
I want to study seriously, not just as a dilettante.
Compound of 旦那 (danna, 'master, patron, wealthy gentleman') and 芸 (gei, 'art, skill, performance'). The term likely originated in the Edo period, referring to the amateur artistic pursuits of wealthy merchants or patrons.