noun
tale about robbers; kabuki play about robbers
A genre of stories or kabuki plays centered on thieves and bandits, often with a romanticized or dramatic portrayal. The term is associated with traditional Japanese theater and literature.
白浪物は、歌舞伎で人気のあるジャンルの一つです。
Shiranamimono is one of the popular genres in kabuki.
この小説は典型的な白浪物で、義賊が主人公です。
This novel is a typical shiranamimono, featuring a chivalrous thief as the main character.
Compound of 白浪 (shiranami, 'white waves', also a literary term for thieves) and 物 (mono, 'thing, story'). The exact origin of 白浪 as a metaphor for thieves is uncertain, but it may derive from classical Chinese literature or Japanese poetic usage.