Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 が 脇わき 役やく を 演えん じる to play a supporting role
He played a supporting role in that movie.
脇わき 役やく に 回まわ る to step back into a supporting role
She stepped down from the lead role to a supporting one.
脇わき 役やく として 活かつ 躍やく する to shine as a supporting actor
He is thriving as a veteran supporting actor.
Kanji 脇 armpit, the other way, another place 傍 bystander, side, besides Related words 助演 is the formal term used in film/TV credits for a supporting performance, while 脇役 more broadly names the supporting role or the person who plays it, including in everyday and metaphorical use.
脇役 is a named supporting actor with an actual part, whereas エキストラ is an unnamed background extra.
Opposites 主役 is the lead role or protagonist, while 脇役 is a supporting or minor role.
脇役 is a supporting role, the natural opposite of 主演 's leading role.
脇役 is a supporting actor or secondary figure, the opposite of 花形 , which denotes the star or leading figure.
Don't confuse with 端役 is a very minor bit part with little screen time, whereas 脇役 can be a substantial, memorable supporting character.
子役 refers to a child performer while 脇役 refers to a supporting role of any age; both end in 役 but classify different things.
Written forms 脇わき 役やく Usage 91%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
わき 役やく Usage 7%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; sometimes used for clarity.
傍わき 役やく Usage 2%
Variant kanji spelling; less common.
Etymology Compound of 脇 (waki, 'side') and 役 (yaku, 'role'). The kanji 脇 suggests something off to the side, hence a role that is not central.
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