戯画
giga[ɡʲiɡa̠]
The English phrase "cartoon" can be translated into Japanese as 戯画 (giga) or 漫画.
Meaning: humorous drawing or strip (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 戯画 | giga | [ɡʲiɡa̠] (narrow) |
| 漫画 | mangwa | [mã̠ŋɡa̠] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the term used for a cartoon depends on whether you are referring to general comic books or specific types of satirical art.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 漫画 (manga) is composed of the characters for 'unrestricted/loose' (漫) and 'drawing/picture' (画).
Which one should you use?
漫画 is the standard, everyday term used for cartoons, comics or manga. In contrast, 戯画 refers more specifically to caricature or satirical drawings rather than general comic books.
How do you pronounce it?
giga
Did you know?
- Before it meant 'comics', the word 漫画 was used to describe the Eurasian spoonbill, a type of bird.
- While 漫画 is used for stories, 戯画 is often associated with the 'Choju-giga', a 12th-century set of scrolls depicting animals acting like humans.
- While English speakers use 'cartoon' for both animation and drawings, in Japan, 'manga' almost exclusively refers to the printed art, whereas 'anime' is used for the animation.
Examples in context
- この漫画は知っていますか？Do you know this cartoon?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is familiar with a specific 漫画.Tatoeba #2461810 by flavio78, translation #2462807 by CK
- 私は面白いマンガが好きです。I like interesting manga.
- 新しいアニメが放送されましたか？Has the new anime aired?
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are looking at an art book.
- 蓮 Renこの戯画を見てください。Kono giga o mite kudasai.Please look at this cartoon.
- 結衣 Yui本当にユニークな絵ですね。Hontou ni yuniiku na e desu ne.It is a really unique drawing.
- 蓮 Ren江戸時代の戯画です。Edo jidai no giga desu.It is a cartoon from the Edo period.
- 結衣 Yui当時のユーモアがわかります。Touji no yuumoa ga wakarimasu.I can understand the humor of that time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cartoon” translations and entries 戯画, 漫画, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 漫画, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
