見けん所じょ

also: けんしょ

け

ん

じょ

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

audience seating (noh theater)

Refers specifically to the seating area for the audience in a noh theater, distinct from the stage.

能のう楽がく堂どうの見けん所じょは、舞ぶ台たいを三さん方ぽうから囲かこむように配はい置ちされている。
The audience seating in a noh theater is arranged to surround the stage on three sides.

noun

audience (esp. in noh)

Used for the audience itself, especially in the context of noh performances. Can be extended to other traditional performing arts.

見けん所じょが静しずまり返かえる中なか、演えん者じゃが登とう場じょうした。
The performer appeared as the audience fell completely silent.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に座すわるto sit in the audience seating (of a noh theater)
見けん所じょに座すわって能のうを鑑かん賞しょうした。
I sat in the audience seating and watched the noh performance.
〈人ひと〉を沸わかせるto excite/thrill the audience
名めい演えん技ぎが見けん所じょを沸わかせた。
The masterful performance thrilled the audience.

Kanji

見see, hopes, chances
所place, extent

Related words

観かん客きゃくN3sense 2
観客 is the general word for an audience or spectators at any event, while 見所 refers specifically to the audience at a noh performance.
客きゃく席せきN2sense 1
客席 is the ordinary word for audience seating in any theater or hall, whereas 見所 is the traditional term used specifically for the seating area in noh theaters.

Don't confuse with

見みどころN1
Written identically as 見所, みどころ means 'a highlight or noteworthy point' (e.g. of a film or a person's potential), while けんじょ/けんしょ refers to noh theater audience seating or the audience itself.

Written forms

見所
- けんじょ
  Standard kanji spelling for the noh term; reading けんじょ is the primary pronunciation.
- けんしょ
  Alternate reading; less common but still encountered in noh contexts.
けんしょ

Etymology

Compound of 見 (mi, 'seeing') and 所 (sho, 'place'), literally 'viewing place'. The reading けんじょ is a Sino-Japanese reading of the characters, used specifically in the context of noh theater.