お笑(わら)い

おわらい

noun

comedy; humor; something laughable

1. comedy, humor, comedic entertainment

The genre of comedy and comedic performance, especially the Japanese tradition of stand-up comedy (manzai, conte, etc.).

I watch comedy shows.

He's aiming to become a comedian.

Japanese comedy culture centers on manzai and skit comedy.

2. something laughable, a joke, absurd

Used to describe a situation or thing that is ridiculous or not to be taken seriously.

That plan is a joke.

お笑(わら)い草(ぐさ)にされた。

I was made a laughingstock.

I'm talking seriously, so it's frustrating to be treated as a joke.

The お prefix here adds a conventional, established-word feel rather than politeness.

Culture: Japanese お笑(わら)い includes 漫才(まんざい) (two-person stand-up with a ボケ/ツッコミ dynamic), コント (scripted comedy skits), and 落語(らくご) (traditional comic storytelling). Major comedy competitions like M-1グランプリ are nationally televised events.

Related Words

Compare: コメディ (comedy)

general

Added 2026.2.6 9:35 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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