展覧会
Meaning in Englishexhibition, exposition
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
展覧会 means an organized public display of artworks or items intended for viewing by the public. It refers to a formal event, often curated and hosted by museums, galleries, or cultural institutions, where works or artifacts are presented for public inspection and appreciation.
Main meanings
- In museum or gallery contexts, referring to curated displays of art, artifacts, or scientific specimens.
- Used for trade or educational events such as science expositions or public showcases of collections, often with catalogs and guided tours.
- Used in set phrases such as 展覧会を開催する and 展覧会場, highlighting the event's organization and venue.
How to use it
Used in formal contexts to refer to organized public exhibitions; common in museum notices, catalogs, press releases, and event calendars; typically used with verbs like 開催する and 行く; example phrases in Japanese include 美術館で展覧会を開催する; 展覧会へ行く.
Variants and close terms
- 展示会 (tenjikai) — general exhibition or display event
- 美術展 (bijutsuten) — art exhibition
- 博覧会 (hakurankai) — expo, fair
Composition
- 展: unfold, display, extend
- 覧: look, view
- 会: gathering, event
Etymology
由来 漢字展覧会 is formed from 展覧 (display, viewing) and 会 (gathering, event). The reading tenrankai combines on’yomi for 展 (ten) and 覧 (ran) with 会 giving kai, creating a Sino-Japanese compound used to denote a public exhibition. It is not borrowed from another language but a native formation that became standard in modern usage.
Origin
Meiji period (late 19th century): the emergence of modern museums and formal public exhibitions popularized the term 展覧会 as the standard label for public displays.
Word class
Noun (名詞)