覗のぞき機関からくり

の

ぞ

き

か

ら

く

り

Meanings

1

noun

peep show; picture-viewing device

Historical device, often a box with a lens, used to view enlarged pictures; associated with Edo-period entertainment.

江え戸ど時じ代だいには、覗のぞき機関からくりが縁えん日にちの人

にん

気き

の

見み

世せ

物もの

だっ

た

。

In the Edo period, the peep show was a popular attraction at festivals.

この博はく物ぶつ館かんには、当とう時じの覗のぞき機関からくりが展てん示じされている。

This museum has a peep show device from that era on display.

Kanji

覗peep, peek, come in sight
機loom, mechanism, machine
関connection, barrier, gateway
絡entwine, coil around, get caught in
繰winding, reel, spin

Related words

からくり
Refers broadly to mechanical devices or tricks; 覗き機関 is a specific type of からくり for viewing pictures.
のぞき
Means 'peeping' or 'looking in'; 覗き機関 is a compound where のぞき describes the action of peeping into the device.

Written forms

覗のぞき機関からくり
Standard kanji spelling for this historical viewing device.
のぞきからくりUsage100%
覗のぞき絡から繰くり
Alternate spelling using 絡繰り for 'mechanism', emphasizing the mechanical nature.
覗機関のぞきからくり
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana usage; less common than the full form.

Etymology

Compound of 覗き (のぞき, 'peeping') and 機関 (からくり, 'mechanism'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it refers to a traditional Japanese viewing device.