Refers to the main role or central figure in a play, film, or by extension any undertaking.
He played the leading role in that stage production.
She is the central figure of this project.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant spelling with okurigana; also common.
Compound of 立て (tate, 'standing' or 'main') and 役 (yaku, 'role'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has long been used in kabuki and theater contexts.