黒幕

• 読み: くろまく
• ローマ字: kuromaku
• 漢字の分解: 黒 (kuro) — black, dark; 幕 (maku) — curtain, act, scene
• 発音: /kɯ.ɾo.ma.kɯ/

意味

Mastermind; wire-puller; behind-the-scenes power. A person who pulls strings from the shadows without appearing directly involved.

Originally a theatrical term for the black curtain used in kabuki to indicate a scene in darkness. The metaphorical meaning of a hidden manipulator became dominant in modern usage. The term carries strong negative connotations of deception and covert control, and is widely used in political and criminal contexts.

例文

1. 事件の黒幕として名指しされた実業家は、記者会見で全面否定した。
2. 選挙不正の黒幕が誰なのか、捜査当局は証拠を積み上げている。
3. 彼女は組織の黒幕として長年にわたって権力を握り続けてきた。

使い方ガイド

場面: politics, journalism, crime, fiction

トーン: negative

起源と歴史

From kabuki theatre, where 黒幕 (black curtain) denoted darkness and invisibility on stage. The metaphorical extension to 'hidden manipulator' developed during the Edo period and became widespread in modern political discourse.

文化的背景

時代: Edo–Modern

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal