N2 · 40 words

Film, music and show business

Words for films, concerts, comedy and the people who make them.

Japanese separates things English lets one word cover. The lead role is 主役(しゅやく), but playing it is 主演(しゅえん); the person acting it is a 俳優(はいゆう) or, with the feel of the theatre, a 役者(やくしゃ). Two words mean less than they seem to: a ライブ, from English “live”, is a concert rather than a broadcast, and a 芸人(げいにん), literally an entertainer, is today usually a comedian.

The words

Verb (1)

盛(も)り上(あ)がるto liven up; to get excitingVerbN2

アンコールで会場(かいじょう)が一気(いっき)に盛(も)り上(あ)がった。The encore set the whole venue alight.

Noun (39)

主題歌(しゅだいか)theme songNounN2

このドラマの主題歌(しゅだいか)は放送(ほうそう)が始(はじ)まってすぐに話題(わだい)になった。The drama's theme song became a talking point as soon as it began airing.

上映(じょうえい)screening; showing (of a film)NounN2

上映(じょうえい)中(ちゅう)は携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)の電源(でんげん)をお切(き)りください。Please switch off your mobile phone during the screening.

Also a verb: 上映(じょうえい)する.

主演(しゅえん)starring; playing the leadNounN2

彼女(かのじょ)はこの映画(えいが)で初(はじ)めて主演(しゅえん)を務(つと)めた。This film was the first in which she played the lead.

Also a verb: 主演(しゅえん)する.

主役(しゅやく)leading role; main characterNounN2

今日(きょう)の主役(しゅやく)は結婚(けっこん)する二人(ふたり)です。The couple getting married are the stars of the day.

The role itself, where 主演(しゅえん) is playing it; also the centre of attention at any event.

脇役(わきやく)supporting roleNounN2

脇役(わきやく)の演技(えんぎ)が物語(ものがたり)を支(ささ)えている。The acting in the supporting roles holds the story together.

脚本(きゃくほん)script; screenplayNounN2

このドラマの脚本(きゃくほん)は小説家(しょうせつか)が書(か)いた。The script for this drama was written by a novelist.

収録(しゅうろく)recording (of a programme)NounN2

番組(ばんぐみ)の収録(しゅうろく)は予定(よてい)より二時間(にじかん)長(なが)くかかった。Recording the programme took two hours longer than planned.

Recording for broadcast or for an album; recording a programme off the TV at home is 録画(ろくが).

共演(きょうえん)appearing together; co-starringNounN2

二人(ふたり)が共演(きょうえん)するのは十年(じゅうねん)ぶりだ。It is the first time in ten years that the two have appeared together.

Also a verb: 共演(きょうえん)する; a co-star is a 共演者(きょうえんしゃ).

演技(えんぎ)acting; performanceNounN2

彼(かれ)の自然(しぜん)な演技(えんぎ)が高(たか)く評価(ひょうか)された。His natural acting was highly praised.

Also a routine in sport, and putting on an act: 演技(えんぎ)だった, it was all an act.

作詞(さくし)writing lyricsNounN2

彼女(かのじょ)は自分(じぶん)で作詞(さくし)も作曲(さっきょく)もする。She writes both her own lyrics and her own music.

Writing the words of a song; writing the music is 作曲(さっきょく).

役者(やくしゃ)actorNounN2

彼(かれ)は舞台(ぶたい)でも映画(えいが)でも活躍(かつやく)する役者(やくしゃ)だ。He is an actor who does well both on stage and on screen.

Less formal than 俳優(はいゆう), with the feel of the stage and of the craft.

女優(じょゆう)actressNounN3

姉(あね)は女優(じょゆう)を目指(めざ)して東京(とうきょう)に出(で)た。My older sister went to Tokyo to become an actress.

芸能界(げいのうかい)show business; the entertainment worldNounN2

芸能界(げいのうかい)で長(なが)く生(い)き残(のこ)るのは簡単(かんたん)ではない。It is not easy to last long in show business.

所属(しょぞく)belonging to; being signed withNounN2

彼女(かのじょ)は大手(おおて)の事務所(じむしょ)に所属(しょぞく)している。She is signed with a major talent agency.

Also a verb: 所属(しょぞく)する — to a club, a team, a department or an agency.

デビューdebutNounN2

彼(かれ)らは高校生(こうこうせい)のときにバンドとしてデビューした。They made their debut as a band while they were still at high school.

Also a verb: デビューする; used jokingly for any first time.

歌詞(かし)lyrics; the words of a songNounN2

メロディーはいいが、歌詞(かし)の意味(いみ)がよく分(わ)からない。The melody is nice, but I don't really understand what the lyrics mean.

新曲(しんきょく)new song; new releaseNounN2

好(す)きな歌手(かしゅ)の新曲(しんきょく)が今日(きょう)から配信(はいしん)される。My favourite singer's new song is available to stream from today.

発売(はつばい)release; going on saleNounN3

新(あたら)しいアルバムは来週(らいしゅう)の水曜日(すいようび)に発売(はつばい)される。The new album goes on sale next Wednesday.

Also a verb: 発売(はつばい)する.

アルバムalbumNounN3

このアルバムには全部(ぜんぶ)で十二曲(じゅうにきょく)入(はい)っている。This album has twelve songs on it in all.

Both a music album and a photo album.

ライブlive concert; gigNounN3

週末(しゅうまつ)は友達(ともだち)と好(す)きなバンドのライブに行(い)く。At the weekend I'm going with a friend to see my favourite band live.

A pop or rock concert; a classical one is a 演奏会(えんそうかい) or コンサート.

客席(きゃくせき)seats (in a theatre); the audienceNounN2

幕(まく)が上(あ)がると、客席(きゃくせき)が静(しず)かになった。When the curtain went up, the audience fell silent.

満員(まんいん)full to capacity; packedNounN3

初日(しょにち)の公演(こうえん)は満員(まんいん)だった。The opening performance played to a full house.

Also a packed train: 満員(まんいん)電車(でんしゃ).

前売(まえう)り券(けん)advance ticketNounN2

前売(まえう)り券(けん)は当日券(とうじつけん)より200円(えん)安(やす)い。Advance tickets are 200 yen cheaper than tickets bought on the day.

予告編(よこくへん)trailer (for a film)NounN2

予告編(よこくへん)を見(み)て、絶対(ぜったい)に見(み)に行(い)こうと決(き)めた。After watching the trailer, I decided I definitely had to go and see it.

続編(ぞくへん)sequelNounN2

一作目(いっさくめ)が大(だい)ヒットしたので、続編(ぞくへん)が作(つく)られることになった。The first film was a big hit, so it was decided to make a sequel.

吹(ふ)き替(か)えdubbing; dubbed versionNounN2

字幕(じまく)より吹(ふ)き替(か)えのほうが楽(らく)だという人(ひと)も多(おお)い。Many people find the dubbed version easier than subtitles.

The opposite is 字幕(じまく), subtitles; cinemas say which version they are showing.

結末(けつまつ)ending; outcomeNounN2

あの映画(えいが)の結末(けつまつ)には本当(ほんとう)に驚(おどろ)いた。The ending of that film really surprised me.

あらすじsynopsis; outline of the plotNounN2

見(み)る前(まえ)に簡単(かんたん)なあらすじを読(よ)んでおいた。I read a short synopsis before watching it.

Usually written in kana.

場面(ばめん)sceneNounN3

最後(さいご)の場面(ばめん)で涙(なみだ)が止(と)まらなかった。I couldn't stop crying at the final scene.

Also any situation in life: こういう場面(ばめん)では, in a situation like this.

娯楽(ごらく)entertainment; amusementNounN2

昔(むかし)はラジオが家族(かぞく)の一番(いちばん)の娯楽(ごらく)だった。In the old days the radio was the family's main entertainment.

芸人(げいにん)comedian; entertainerNounN2

あの芸人(げいにん)は最近(さいきん)、ドラマにもよく出(で)ている。That comedian has been appearing in a lot of dramas lately too.

Today usually a comedian, short for お笑(わら)い芸人(げいにん).

お笑(わら)いcomedy (as entertainment)NounN2

父(ちち)は毎週(まいしゅう)、お笑(わら)いの番組(ばんぐみ)を楽(たの)しみにしている。My father looks forward to the comedy show every week.

演出(えんしゅつ)direction; stagingNounN2

同(おな)じ脚本(きゃくほん)でも、演出(えんしゅつ)が違(ちが)えば別(べつ)の作品(さくひん)になる。Even with the same script, different direction makes a different piece of work.

What a director does with a play or show; also the staging of an event such as a wedding.

制作(せいさく)production (of a film, programme or artwork)NounN2

この番組(ばんぐみ)の制作(せいさく)には一年(いちねん)かかったそうだ。Apparently it took a year to produce this programme.

Same reading as 製作(せいさく), used for making goods and machines.

映像(えいぞう)footage; moving imagesNounN2

ニュースで事故(じこ)の瞬間(しゅんかん)の映像(えいぞう)が流(なが)れた。The news showed footage of the moment of the accident.

オーディションauditionNounN2

彼女(かのじょ)は三千人(さんぜんにん)の中(なか)からオーディションで選(えら)ばれた。She was picked at an audition from three thousand hopefuls.

受賞(じゅしょう)winning a prizeNounN2

この映画(えいが)は海外(かいがい)の映画祭(えいがさい)で受賞(じゅしょう)した。This film won an award at a film festival abroad.

Also a verb: 受賞(じゅしょう)する; the award itself is a 賞(しょう).

審査員(しんさいん)judge (of a contest)NounN2

審査員(しんさいん)の意見(いけん)が二(ふた)つに分(わ)かれた。The judges were divided into two camps.

ヒットhit; successNounN2

その曲(きょく)は発売(はつばい)と同時(どうじ)にヒットした。The song became a hit the moment it was released.

Also a verb: ヒットする; a matching search result is a ヒット too.

This list belongs to Free time, hobbies and sport — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.