魔术

• Pinyin: mó shù
• Hanzi breakdown: 魔 = 麻 (hemp, tangled) + 鬼 (ghost) — something otherworldly; 术 = 木 (tree) + 一 (one) — a skill or method cultivated through practice

Meaning

Magic; conjuring; stage magic tricks. The art of performing illusions and sleight-of-hand to entertain an audience.

Distinct from 魔法 (supernatural magic of fantasy or fairy tales) — 魔术 always refers to stage performance magic. Key compounds: 魔术师 (magician), 变魔术 (to perform magic tricks). 魔术贴 (Velcro) uses 魔术 to evoke a sense of the miraculous.

Examples

1. 舞台上的魔术师从一顶空帽子里变出了一只洁白的兔子，引来观众阵阵掌声。 Onstage, the magician pulled a white rabbit out of an empty hat, drawing rounds of applause from the audience.
2. 她小时候看了一场精彩的魔术表演，从此对舞台艺术产生了浓厚的兴趣。 When she was a child, she saw an amazing magic show, and from then on she developed a strong interest in the performing arts.
3. 现代魔术结合了大量科技手段，使得视觉幻觉效果远超以往任何时代。 Modern magic incorporates a lot of technology, making its visual illusions far beyond anything in earlier eras.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, performance, children, everyday

Tone: light, playful

Do Say

• 这位魔术师凭借精湛的近景魔术在各大社交媒体平台上积累了数百万粉丝。(This magician accumulated millions of followers across major social media platforms with his outstanding close-up magic.)
• 公司年会上的魔术表演让员工们大呼神奇，现场气氛十分热烈欢乐。(The magic show at the company's annual gala had employees marvelling in amazement, with a lively and joyful atmosphere on the scene.)

Don't Say

• 把'魔术'和'魔法'混用 (魔术 is stage performance magic executed by a skilled performer; 魔法 is supernatural power in fantasy or fairy tales — the two are not interchangeable)

Origin & History

魔 (magic, demonic power) + 术 (skill, art, technique). Together: the skilled art of creating magical illusions.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal