Japanese word

手品

Pronunciation

Romajitejina

Meaning

  • nounmagic trick

Example

友達に手品を見せました。tomo dachi ni te jina o mi se ma shi ta

I showed my friend a magic trick.

Illustration for 手品 (magic trick)

More examples

子どもたちの前で手品を披露しました。ko do mo ta chi no mae de te jina o hi rō shi ma shi ta

I performed a magic trick in front of the children.

Core concept

It makes an impossible-looking result seem real through concealed movements, timing, and control of attention.

Common phrases

  • 手品をするte jina o su ru

    perform a magic trick

  • 手品を見せるte jina o mi se ru

    show a magic trick

  • 手品の種te jina no tane

    secret behind a magic trick

Similar words

マジックmajikku: A common term for an entertaining illusion performed before an audience.
奇術kijutsu: A formal term for a performed illusion created through skill, hidden actions, and misdirection.

Definition in Japanese

手や道具を巧みに使い、実際にはない現象が起きたように人に見せる芸。te ya dō gu o taku mi ni tsuka i jis sai ni wa na i gen shō ga o ki ta yō ni hito ni mi se ru gei

Word origin

The word 手品 (tejina) combines 手 (te, "hand") and 品 (shina, "thing") as a native Japanese compound for a performance that appears to produce an impossible result by hand.

Usage tips

  • In English, magic can mean supernatural power, so magic trick clearly marks 手品 (tejina) as a performed illusion rather than a spell.

Other meanings

  • sleight of handnoun

Related words

  • 手品師tejinashimagiciannoun

Word lists with this word