劇場
gekijō[ɡe̞kʲiʑo̞ː]
In Japanese, "theater" can be translated as 劇場 (gekijō) or シアター.
Meaning: place or building (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 劇場 | gekijō | [ɡe̞kʲiʑo̞ː] (narrow) |
| シアター | shiatā |
Both terms refer to a place or building used for performances, but they imply different types of venues.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 劇場 is composed of the characters 劇, meaning play or drama and 場, meaning place.
Which one should you use?
劇場 is typically used for traditional or large-scale venues for live performances, such as those for plays or kabuki. In contrast, シアター is a katakana loanword often used for modern cinema, specialized theaters or as part of a specific building's name.
How do you pronounce it?
gekijō
Did you know?
- While 劇場 is the general word for theater, traditional Kabuki theaters are specifically called 歌舞伎座 kabukiza, where 座 refers to the historical acting guilds that once held monopolies over performances.
- The term シアター is frequently used in Japan to describe home cinema systems, such as 'home theater', which would never be called a 劇場.
- The character 劇 (geki) can also be used to describe 'sudden' or 'extreme' changes, such as in the word 劇的 (gekiteki), meaning 'dramatic'.
Examples in context
- 劇場内禁煙。No smoking in the theater.This sentence is useful for seeing how to state a rule regarding smoking in the 劇場.Tatoeba #3474783 by arnab, translation #2846058 by englishchinese
- 私は劇場にいました。I was at the theater.This sentence is useful for describing your location at the 劇場.Tatoeba #9580812 by bunbuku, translation #256730 by CK
- 劇場に行くことにしたよ。I've decided to go to the theater.This sentence is useful for expressing a decision to visit the 劇場.Tatoeba #10615433 by bunbuku, translation #2509427 by sharptoothed
- 昨夜、優れた演技が劇場で披露されました。Last night, outstanding performances were showcased at the theater.
- この舞台での経験は私にとって非常に貴重でした。The experience on this stage was extremely valuable to me.
- 映画館で新作映画を見るのが好きです。I enjoy watching new movies at the cinema.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is deciding where to go for their date.
- 陽太 Yotaこの劇場、とても古いね。Kono gekijō, totemo furui ne.This theater is very old, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariでも、素敵な劇場だと思うよ。Demo, suteki na gekijō da to omou yo.But I think it's a lovely theater.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵もそう思うなら、ここで決まりだ。Himari mo sō omou nara, koko de kimari da.If you think so too, Himari, then it's decided.
- 陽葵 Himari楽しみ！Tanoshimi!I'm looking forward to it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “theater” translations and entries 劇場, シアター, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
