Japanese word

展開

Pronunciation

Romajitenkai

Meaning

  • noundevelopment

Example

この話の展開が速いです。ko no hanashi no ten kai ga haya i de su

The plot moves quickly.

Illustration for 展開 (development)

More examples

この話は展開が早いです。ko no hanashi wa ten kai ga haya i de su

This story develops quickly.

予想外の展開に、みんな驚きました。yo sō gai no ten kai ni mi n na odoro ki ma shi ta

Everyone was surprised by the unexpected twist.

Core concept

Shows the way something develops as its parts open out and events lead naturally to what comes next.

Common phrases

  • 話の展開hanashi no ten kai

    plot development

  • 意外な展開i gai na ten kai

    unexpected development

Similar words

進展shinten: The progress of a situation or matter toward a later stage.
成り行きnariyuki: The course that events take as they happen.
推移suii: The change of a situation over a period of time.

Definition in Japanese

物事の進み方や、物語で次々に起こる出来事の流れ。mono goto no susu mi kata ya monogatari de tsugi tsugi ni o ko ru de ki goto no naga re

Word origin

展 (ten, "unfold") and 開 (kai, "open") combine to express something opening out and developing from one stage to another.

Usage tips

  • A story's 展開 (tenkai) may refer to its overall flow, not only to one surprising event, which makes the word useful in everyday plot discussions.

Other meanings

  • plot twistnoun

Related words

  • 展開するtenkaisurudevelopverb

Word lists with this word