陶芸

• Reading: とうげい
• Romaji: tougei
• Kanji breakdown: 陶 (tou) — pottery, ceramics; 芸 (gei) — art, craft, skill
• Pronunciation: /toː.ɡeː/

Meaning

Ceramic art; the craft and artistic practice of making pottery and ceramics.

A noun referring to the art of creating objects from clay through forming, glazing, and firing. Encompasses both functional ware (teacups, bowls) and decorative sculptures. 陶芸家 is a ceramic artist, and 陶芸教室 is a pottery class. Popular as both a traditional art form and a modern hobby, with many experience workshops available for tourists in Japan.

Examples

1. 週末に陶芸教室で花瓶を作った。 I made a vase at a pottery class on the weekend.
2. 彼女は大学で陶芸を専攻していた。 She majored in ceramics in college.
3. 有名な陶芸家の作品展が美術館で開かれている。 An exhibition of a famous ceramic artist's work is being held at the museum.

Usage Guide

Context: art, hobbies, culture, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 陶 (tou, pottery/ceramics) + 芸 (gei, art/craft/skill). Literally 'the art of pottery,' combining the material craft with artistic expression.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal