ボケ

ぼけ
noun
blur; funny man (in manzai); senility
entertainmenthealth
1. blur; out-of-focus area
the aesthetic quality of blur in out-of-focus areas of a photograph, now used internationally as a photography term
ボケの美(うつく)しい写真(しゃしん)が撮(と)れた。
I took a photo with beautiful bokeh.
背景(はいけい)ボケを活(い)かした撮影(さつえい)をする。
To shoot utilizing background blur.
このレンズはボケが綺麗(きれい)だ。
This lens produces beautiful bokeh.
2. funny man; straight man's partner
in Japanese comedy (especially manzai), the person who makes absurd statements or acts silly, contrasted with the tsukkomi
ボケとツッコミの掛(か)け合(あ)いが面白(おもしろ)い。
The back-and-forth between the funny man and straight man is amusing.
ボケを言(い)う。
To make a joke/silly remark.
彼(かれ)は漫才(まんざい)でボケ担当(たんとう)だ。
He plays the funny man role in manzai.
3. senility; mental decline
age-related cognitive decline or confusion
ボケ防止(ぼうし)のために脳(のう)トレをしている。
I'm doing brain training to prevent senility.
年(とし)をとってボケてきた。
As I got older, I've become forgetful.
祖父(そふ)のボケが進(すす)んでいる。
My grandfather's dementia is progressing.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 1):

English "bokeh" was borrowed from this sense.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 2):

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 3):

Watch out

Related Words

Related: ツッコミ (straight man (comedy))
Related: ピント (focus (camera))
Compare: ギャグ (gag, joke)
Compare: 漫才(まんざい)コンビ (manzai duo)
Related: 漫才(まんざい) (manzai)
general
Added 2026.1.28 23:45 · Revised 2026.10.13 10:16
08500/08822_boke