喜劇(きげき)

きげき
noun
comedy
leisure
1. comedy, comic play
A theatrical genre or work intended to amuse, as opposed to tragedy. Also used more broadly to describe absurd or laughable real-life situations.
あの映画(えいが)は喜劇(きげき)だ。
That movie is a comedy.
シェイクスピアは悲劇(ひげき)だけでなく喜劇(きげき)も書(か)いた。
Shakespeare wrote comedies as well as tragedies.
あまりにも失敗(しっぱい)が続(つづ)いて、もはや喜劇(きげき)のような状況(じょうきょう)になってしまった。
So many failures piled up that the situation became almost like a comedy.

喜劇(きげき) refers to comedy as a theatrical or literary genre, and can also describe absurd real-life situations.

Forms

喜(き) (joy) + 劇(げき) (drama, play).

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 悲劇(ひげき): tragedy (the direct opposite pair)
  • コメディ: comedy (loanword, more common for modern entertainment — TV, film)
  • 喜劇(きげき) has a more classical or literary nuance, fitting for theatrical and academic contexts

Usage

Can describe absurd real-life situations: もはや喜劇(きげき)だ (it's practically a comedy at this point).

Related Words

Antonym: 悲劇(ひげき) (tragedy)
Compare: コメディ (comedy (loanword, more common…)
general
Added 2026.2.18 21:26 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
11500/11835_kigeki