劇場
Meaning in Englishtheater, playhouse
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
劇場 (gekijō) means a theatre: a named building, hall, or designated space where live dramatic performances, staged events, or works released for cinemas are presented to a public audience; it denotes the physical venue or institution that hosts performances and public spectacles.
Main meanings
- 1. A cinematic usage meaning a film's theatrical release or the cinema-based edition, often seen in compounds like 劇場版 (gekijōban).
- 2. The formal name of a venue or company that stages plays, operas, or other performing-arts productions, distinguishing it from informal performance sites.
- 3. A metaphorical or journalistic sense referring to a dramatic public scene or spectacle—used to characterize events as theatrical.
How to use it
Used in signage, program notes, news coverage, ticketing and official venue names to refer to the place hosting a performance; common in formal writing and announcements, and in everyday speech when naming or locating a venue, while casual conversation may prefer loanwords or more specific terms when distinguishing cinema from live theatre.
Variants and close terms
- 映画館 (eigakan) — movie theater, cinema (focuses on film screening).
- 演劇場 (engekijō) — playhouse, theatrical venue (emphasizes live drama).
- シアター (shiataa) — theater (loanword often used in names or casual contexts).
Composition
- 劇 (げき, geki): drama, play, intense action—signifies theatrical performance or dramatic content.
- 場 (じょう, jō): place, site—indicates a physical location where something occurs; together they form the idea of a 'place for drama'.
Origin
The organized concept of a modern 劇場 (gekijō) grew during the Meiji period (late 19th century) as Western-style playhouses and theatrical institutions were introduced to Japan; over the Taishō and Shōwa eras the term extended to movie houses and formal performance halls as mass entertainment and cinema developed.
Word class
noun (名詞)