絶妙

• 読み: ぜつみょう
• ローマ字: zetsumyou
• 漢字の分解: 絶 (zetsu) — supreme, extreme, excel; 妙 (myou) — wondrous, exquisite, subtle
• 発音: /ze.t͡sɯ.mjoː/

意味

Exquisite; supremely skilful; perfectly timed; masterly. Describes something executed with such precision or skill that it seems almost impossible.

A na-adjective combining 絶 (zetsu, supreme/extreme) and 妙 (myou, wondrous/exquisite). Frequently applied to timing (絶妙なタイミング), balance (絶妙なバランス), or flavour (絶妙な塩加減, the perfect seasoning). The word conveys a sense of wonder—the execution is so perfect that it transcends ordinary skill and approaches artistry. Widely used in cooking, comedy, sports commentary, and art criticism.

例文

1. 彼女の絶妙なタイミングで放たれた一言が、場の空気を一瞬で和ませた。
2. シェフの絶妙な塩加減が、素材本来の旨味を最大限に引き出していた。
3. 左右のバランスが絶妙に保たれた彫像は、微かな風にも揺れるように見えた。

使い方ガイド

場面: cooking, comedy, sports, arts, timing

トーン: positive

起源と歴史

Compound of 絶 (zetsu, to excel/to surpass) and 妙 (myou, wondrous/subtle). The combination captures something that excels to the point of the wondrous. The term entered Japanese from classical Chinese texts and has been used in aesthetic criticism since the Heian period.

文化的背景

時代: Classical–Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal