見世物(みせもの)

みせもの
noun
spectacle, sideshow, exhibition
leisure
1. spectacle, show, sideshow, exhibition
A public show or display put on for entertainment, historically referring to carnival sideshows, street performances, and curiosity exhibitions. Can also mean making a spectacle of someone or something in a negative sense.
見世物(みせもの)じゃないぞ。
I'm not a spectacle to be stared at.
祭(まつ)りには様々(さまざま)な見世物(みせもの)が並(なら)んでいた。
Various sideshows were lined up at the festival.
人(ひと)の失敗(しっぱい)を見世物(みせもの)にするのはよくない。
It's not right to make a spectacle of someone's failures.

Usage

見世物(みせもの) originally referred to popular entertainment shows during the Edo period, including acrobatics, exotic animals, and curiosity exhibitions. In modern usage, it often carries a negative connotation when used about people — implying that someone is being treated as an object of curiosity or entertainment against their will.

Common collocations

  • 見世物(みせもの)にする: to make a spectacle of
  • 見世物(みせもの)小屋(ごや): sideshow tent/booth
  • 見世物(みせもの)になる: to become a spectacle
general
Added 2026.2.28 10:49 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
14000/14158_misemono