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DictionarykabukiJapanese theater
noun

kabuki

kuh-BOO-kee/kəˈbuːki/

A Japanese theatrical tradition using elaborate stylized performance.

The kabuki actor holds a dramatic pose in an elaborate robe.

A Japanese kabuki actor holds a forceful mie pose on a spare wooden stage, with unmistakable red-and-white kumadori makeup and an elaborate theatrical robe.
Etymology
kaJapanesesong
+buJapanesedance
+kiJapaneseart, skill

On an alternative etymology, these pieces mean “art of song and dance.” This reading connects the theater’s name with its combination of music and stylized movement.

In context

ORCA Media63:41
a kabuki developed in Kyoto in the early 17th century and it incorporates dance dramatic gestures and music kabuki involves complex plot lines with dramas centering around court family and military intrigues
Off The Beaten Path - Cultural Observations from a Month in Japan

More examples

  • Kabuki combines stylized acting with music and dance.
  • We watch a kabuki performance at a theater in Tokyo.
  • The bold makeup helps audiences recognize different characters in kabuki.

Forms

kabuki