映画

• Reading: えいが
• Romaji: eiga
• Kanji breakdown: 映 (ei) — reflect, project, shine. 画 (ga/kaku) — picture, image, drawing
• Pronunciation: /eː.ɡa/

Meaning

Movie; film; motion picture. The standard word for cinema and films.

A very common noun used in daily conversation. Common expressions include 映画を見る (to watch a movie), 映画館 (movie theatre), and 映画俳優 (movie actor). Japan has a rich film tradition, from classic directors like Kurosawa to modern anime films by Studio Ghibli.

Examples

1. 昨日おもしろい映画を見ました。 I watched an interesting movie yesterday.
2. 週末に映画館に行きましょう。 Let's go to the movie theater this weekend.
3. どんな映画が好きですか。 What kind of movies do you like?

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, hobbies, conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 映 (ei, reflect/project) and 画 (ga, picture/image). Together they mean 'projected pictures' — a perfect description of cinema technology.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal