喜

Joy, Delight

よろこぶ (yorokobu)

JLPT N3

Interesting Fact

Noh (能) is one of Japan's oldest forms of traditional theater, combining slow, graceful movement, music, chanting, and highly stylized masks. Unlike modern theater, Noh performers use very little facial expression, and a tiny tilt of the head can completely change how a mask appears under the stage lighting. A mask that seems joyful from one angle can suddenly look sad or mysterious from another. The audience therefore has to carefully observe the performer's movements to understand the emotion. This subtle art of expressing feelings has been part of Japanese theater for centuries.

Memory Trick

“🫘 A samurai (士) discovers a giant bean (豆) and puts it straight into his mouth (口). The bean tastes so delicious that he starts jumping around with joy!”