1.
trick; ruse; deception
A clever scheme or method used to deceive someone. Commonly used in mystery fiction to describe the method behind a crime or puzzle.
2.
trick; technique; feat
A skillful or impressive technique, especially in magic, skateboarding, card games, or other performance contexts.
From English "trick." Particularly associated with mystery fiction in Japanese — discussing the トリック of a mystery novel is a standard part of the genre's vocabulary. Japan's rich tradition of mystery fiction (ミステリー) makes this a high-frequency word in that domain.
Also widely used in magic performance, extreme sports, and card games. Unlike the English word, it does not typically carry the sense of "trick" as in playing a prank on someone (for that, いたずら is more natural).
Common collocations
- トリックを見破る: to see through a trick
- 密室トリック: locked-room trick (mystery genre)
- トリックアート: trick art; optical illusion art
- マジックトリック: magic trick
- トリックを仕掛ける: to set up a trick