台詞

• Reading: せりふ
• Romaji: serifu
• Kanji breakdown: 台 (dai) — stand, platform; 詞 (shi) — words, speech (ateji)
• Pronunciation: /se.ɾi.ɸɯ/

Meaning

Line; dialogue; spoken words in a play, film, or manga.

A noun referring to the scripted words spoken by actors, characters, or performers. Used in theatre, film, television, anime, and manga contexts. Can also refer figuratively to something someone characteristically says. Sometimes written in hiragana (せりふ) or katakana (セリフ), but the kanji form 台詞 is standard.

Examples

1. この映画の最後の台詞がとても印象的だった。 The last line in this movie was really memorable.
2. 俳優は長い台詞を完璧に覚えていた。 The actor had the long lines down perfectly.
3. それはまるでドラマの台詞みたいだね。 That sounds just like a line from a drama.

Usage Guide

Context: film, theatre, anime, manga

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 台詞 is an ateji (phonetic kanji assignment). The word せりふ likely derives from 競り (seri, competing) + 言ふ (ifu, to say), originally meaning competitive dialogue in kabuki theatre.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal