1.
wizard; sorcerer; magician
A person who uses magic. Commonly appears in fairy tales, fantasy stories, and games. Composed of 魔法 (magic) + 使い (user). Can refer to both male and female magic users.
魔法使いが呪文を唱えた。
The wizard chanted a spell.
この物語の主人公は若い魔法使いだ。
The protagonist of this story is a young wizard.
子供の頃、魔法使いになりたいと思っていた。
When I was a child, I wanted to become a wizard.
USAGE:
魔法使い is the most common and general word for a magic user in Japanese. It is gender-neutral and appears frequently in children's stories, fantasy literature, anime, and video games.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 魔法使いの弟子 (wizard's apprentice)
- 魔法使いの杖 (wizard's staff/wand)
- 魔法使いになる (to become a wizard)
SIMILAR WORDS:
魔女 specifically means 'witch' (female), while 魔法使い is gender-neutral. 魔術師 sounds more formal and literary.