情景

• Reading: じょうけい
• Romaji: jōkei
• Kanji breakdown: 情 (jō) — feeling, emotion; 景 (kei) — scene, view
• Pronunciation: /dʑoː.keː/

Meaning

Scene; spectacle; a view or sight that evokes a strong emotional impression.

Unlike the neutral 光景 (scene/view), 情景 implies that the scene carries emotional resonance — the feeling and the scenery are intertwined. This fusion of inner emotion and outer landscape reflects the Japanese aesthetic notion related to 物の哀れ (pathos of things). Frequently used in literary description and poetry to evoke a scene inseparable from the mood it conjures.

Examples

1. 山頂から見下ろす雲海の情景は、言葉では表しきれないほど美しかった。 The scene of the sea of clouds viewed from the mountain summit was so beautiful it could not be expressed in words.
2. 夕暮れ時の漁村の情景を、詩人は静かな言葉でつぶさに描き出した。 The poet described the scene of a fishing village at dusk in quiet, meticulous language.
3. 幼い頃の情景がふとよみがえり、胸に懐かしさが広がった。 A scene from childhood suddenly came back to mind, and a sense of nostalgia spread through my chest.

Usage Guide

Context: poetry, fiction, literary description

Tone: poetic

Origin & History

Compound of 情 (jō, feeling/emotion) and 景 (kei, scene/view). The combination captures the Japanese aesthetic notion that a scene is inseparable from the emotional response it evokes, a concept related to classical poetic ideals of 感情 and 自然 in harmony.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated