語(かた)り

かたり
noun
narration; storytelling; narrative
communication
1. narration; storytelling
The act of telling a story or relating events orally. Also refers to the narrative style or the narrator's voice in a performance or literary work.
彼女(かのじょ)の語(かた)りに引(ひ)き込(こ)まれた。
I was drawn into her narration.
この映画(えいが)は語(かた)りが美(うつく)しい。
This film has beautiful narration.
祖母(そぼ)の戦争(せんそう)体験(たいけん)の語(かた)りは、いつも胸(むね)に迫(せま)るものがあった。
My grandmother's narration of her wartime experiences was always deeply moving.

語(かた)り is the noun form of 語(かた)る (to narrate, to tell). It refers both to the act of narration and to the narrative itself.

Common collocations

  • 語(かた)り部(べ) (storyteller; keeper of oral tradition)
  • 語(かた)り口(くち) (way of speaking, narrative style)
  • 語(かた)り手(て) (narrator, storyteller)
  • 物語(ものがたり)の語(かた)り (narration of a tale)

In traditional Japanese performing arts, 語(かた)り refers to the narrative component of forms like 能(のう) and 浄瑠璃(じょうるり), where a performer recites the story while others act or manipulate puppets.

Related Words

Related: 語(かた)る (to narrate, to tell)
Related: 語(かた)り口(くち) (narrative style)
Compare: 講談(こうだん) (storytelling performance)
Compare: ナレーション (narration)
general
Added 2026.3.1 17:59 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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