剧

• Pinyin: jù
• Hanzi breakdown: 剧 = 虍 (tiger) + 豕 (pig) + 刂 (knife), complex evolution to mean drama/intense

Meaning

Drama; play; theater. Refers to theatrical performances or TV/film productions.

Appears in many compounds: 电视剧 (TV series), 话剧 (stage play), 戏剧 (drama/theater), 悲剧 (tragedy), 喜剧 (comedy), 剧本 (script). Also used as a suffix for genres or types of dramatic works. Additionally means 'intense' or 'severe' in words like 剧烈 (violent/intense).

Examples

1. 最近有一部国产剧特别火，你看了吗？ There's a domestic drama that's been really popular lately — have you watched it?
2. 这部剧的剧本写得太好了，每个角色都很立体。 The script for this drama is so well-written; every character is fully fleshed out.
3. 她从小就梦想登上话剧舞台，现在终于实现了。 She's dreamed of performing on the theater stage since childhood, and now she's finally made it.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, arts, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你最近在追什么剧？(What show are you following lately?)
• 这部剧太好看了，一口气看完了。(This drama is so good; I binge-watched it all at once.)

Don't Say

• 用剧指代电影，如'这部剧好看' (For movies use 电影 or 片子; 剧 typically refers to TV series or stage plays)

Origin & History

Originally meant 'pig' (豕 radical), later borrowed phonetically for 'drama/play' through the theatrical mask association. The tiger (虍) component may relate to fierce/dramatic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal