How to Say "Slapstick" in Japanese

スラップスティック

surappusutikku

Slapstick in Japanese is スラップスティック (surappusutikku).

The term スラップスティック is used primarily in technical or academic contexts to describe the genre of physical comedy.

Meaning: physical comedy (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

surappusutikku

The word ボケ (boke), used to describe the 'funny man' in a slapstick duo, is the same word used to describe 'senility' or 'clouding' in a medical or cognitive context.
While スラップスティック is the technical term, Japanese people usually refer to this style of comedy as ドタバタ (dotabata). This word mimics the sound of people frantically running around and crashing into things.
In modern Japanese variety shows, slapstick often involves boke (the funny man) and tsukkomi (the straight man). The tsukkomi may physically strike the boke to punctuate a joke, a practice rooted in the manzai tradition.

その映画はバカ笑いが満載だった。
That movie was filled with slapstick humor.
彼らの漫才はスラップスティックな要素が充実している。
Their manzai act is packed with slapstick elements.
この映画はスラップスティックの要素が多い。
Kono eiga wa surappusutikku no youso ga ooi.
This movie has many elements of slapstick.

Yui and Ren are talking about a comedy show they watched.

結衣 Yui

あのショーは本当に笑えましたね。
Ano shoo wa hontoo ni waraemashita ne.
That show was really funny, wasn't it?
蓮 Ren

はい、特にスラップスティックな演出が最高でした。
Hai, tokuni surappusutikku na enshutsu ga saikoo deshita.
Yes, especially the slapstick direction was great.
結衣 Yui

単純な動きなのに面白いですよね。
Tanjun na ugoki nanoni omoshiroi desu yo ne.
It's funny even though the movements are simple.
蓮 Ren

そういう笑いは世界共通だと思います。
Sou iu warai wa sekai kyoutsuu da to omoimasu.
I think that kind of laughter is universal.

Sources

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