奇術(きじゅつ)

きじゅつ
noun
magic trick; conjuring; sleight of hand
formalleisure
1. magic trick; conjuring; sleight of hand; stage magic
The art or performance of stage magic — making objects appear, disappear, or transform in ways that seem impossible. A somewhat formal or old-fashioned word compared to the common loanword マジック.
奇術(きじゅつ)を見(み)せる。
To perform a magic trick.
祖父(そふ)は得意(とくい)な奇術(きじゅつ)で子供(こども)たちを喜(よろこ)ばせた。
My grandfather delighted the children with his specialty magic trick.
奇術(きじゅつ)師(し)は観客(かんきゃく)の目(め)の前(まえ)でコインを消(け)してみせた。
The magician made a coin vanish right before the audience's eyes.
伝統(でんとう)的(てき)な日本(にほん)の奇術(きじゅつ)は、和傘(わがさ)や扇子(せんす)などの道具(どうぐ)を巧(たく)みに使(つか)う。
Traditional Japanese magic skillfully uses tools such as paper umbrellas and folding fans.

Composed of 奇(き) (strange, marvelous, curious) and 術(じゅつ) (art, technique, skill). Refers to the art of performing illusions — card tricks, coin tricks, vanishing acts, and stage magic more broadly.

Register: Somewhat formal or old-fashioned. In everyday conversation, the loanword マジック or 手品(てじな) is far more common. 奇術(きじゅつ) is still used in literary contexts, for traditional Japanese stage magic, and in the word 奇術(きじゅつ)師(し) (professional magician).

Common collocations

  • 奇術(きじゅつ)を行(おこな)う: to perform a magic trick (formal)
  • 奇術(きじゅつ)師(し): a magician, conjurer
  • 奇術(きじゅつ)ショー: a magic show
  • 奇術(きじゅつ)の腕(うで): skill at magic

Similar words

  • 手品(てじな): magic trick, sleight of hand — the everyday native word; most common in casual speech
  • マジック: magic — the common English loanword; used for card magic, stage shows, and modern entertainment
  • 魔術(まじゅつ): magic, sorcery — refers to supposed real magic or witchcraft, not stage tricks
  • 幻術(げんじゅつ): illusion, sorcery — more literary; used for supernatural illusions in fiction

Related Words

Compare: 手品(てじな) (magic trick, sleight of hand)
Compare: マジック (magic)
Compare: 魔術(まじゅつ) (magic, sorcery)
Compare: 幻術(げんじゅつ) (illusion, sorcery)
general
Added 2026.4.14 9:46 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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