脚本

• Reading: きゃくほん
• Romaji: kyakuhon
• Kanji breakdown: 脚 (kyaku) — leg, foot, base; 本 (hon) — book, origin, base
• Pronunciation: /kja.kɯ.hoɴ/

Meaning

Script; screenplay; scenario. A written text for a play, film, or broadcast.

A noun referring to the written script used in theatre, cinema, television, and radio productions. Distinct from 台本 (daihon), which often refers to a more informal working script. 脚本 carries a more formal, literary connotation and is the standard term in film and theatre credits.

Examples

1. この映画の脚本はとても良く書かれている。 The screenplay for this movie is very well written.
2. 脚本の修正が間に合わなくて撮影が延期された。 Filming was postponed because the script revisions didn't make it in time.
3. 彼女は大学で脚本の書き方を学んだ。 She studied scriptwriting at college.

Usage Guide

Context: film, theatre, television

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 脚 (leg, foot, base) + 本 (book, origin). Originally meaning 'the foundation text' upon which a performance stands, like legs supporting a body.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal