1.
acrobatics; stunt; feat of agility
Physical performances requiring agility and balance, such as tightrope walking or trapeze acts. Also used figuratively for risky or precarious feats.
軽業を見せる。
To perform acrobatics.
軽業師が綱の上を渡った。
The acrobat walked across the tightrope.
二つの仕事を掛け持ちするのは軽業のようなものだ。
Juggling two jobs is like a balancing act.
Composed of 軽 (light) + 業 (skill, feat). Originally referred to acrobatic performances at festivals and street shows in the Edo period, including tightrope walking and tumbling.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 軽業師: acrobat; stunt performer
- 軽業を演じる: to perform acrobatics
- 軽業のような: acrobatic; like a balancing act
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 曲芸: acrobatics, circus tricks — more modern and broader, including circus acts
- 大道芸: street performance — broader category including juggling, magic, etc.
- 離れ業: remarkable feat — emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the act