ドラマdorama

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun(non-documentary) television series; TV drama; teledrama; play
    この秋あきは、珍めずらしくドラマをたくさん見みている。↗
    This autumn I am, unusually, watching many drama series.
  2. noundrama; dramatic incident; spectacle; tragedy
    Napoleon's life was a great drama.
Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym戯曲ぎきょくWrittenA written, literary term for a play as a text — the script itself, as in 「シェイクスピアの戯曲」. 「ドラマ」 usually means a TV drama instead.
  • Synonym演劇えんげきNeutralThe art of theatre: drama performed live on stage, as in 「演劇部」. 「ドラマ」 typically refers to TV or radio dramas.
  • Synonym劇げきNeutralA drama or play, especially on stage, as in 「学芸会の劇」. Mostly stage plays rather than the TV dramas 「ドラマ」 usually means.
  • Synonym芝居しばいNeutralA play, but also acting or putting on an act, as in 「芝居がうまい」 and 「一芝居打つ」 — uses 「ドラマ」 doesn't have.
  • AntonymドキュメンタリーNeutralA documentary: fact-based, with no fictional dramatization — the opposite of the fictional 「ドラマ」.

Use 「ドラマ」 for TV dramas and dramatic incidents. For stage theatre pick 「演劇」 or 「劇」, for the written script 「戯曲」, for acting or putting on an act 「芝居」, and for fact-based programmes 「ドキュメンタリー」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 芝居しばい。劇げき。演劇えんげき。
  2. 1のうちでとりわけ、テレビやラジオにおいて流ながされるもの。
  3. 戯曲ぎきょく。脚本きゃくほん。
  4. あたかも芝居しばいのごとく人ひとの心こころを奪うばってこれを激はげしく揺ゆさぶったり、あるいはありのままの人ひとの生き方いきかたの匂においを漂ただよわせていたりする、劇的げきてき、あるいは物語ものがたり的てきな出来事できごと。
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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