脚本（きゃくほん、kyakuhon）
- script

The Japanese word 脚本 (kyakuhon) primarily means "screenplay," "script," or "scenario." It refers to the written text that outlines the dialogue, actions, and settings for a film, television show, play, or other performance. The 脚本 serves as a blueprint for the production, guiding actors, directors, and other crew members.

⚫︎ 映画の脚本 Translation: Movie script ⚫︎ 彼は新しいドラマの脚本］を書いている。 Translation: He is writing the script for a new drama. ⚫︎ 脚本］家がコンテストで賞を受賞した。 Translation: The screenwriter won an award in the contest.

You use 脚本 in situations where you're discussing the written text for a visual or performing arts production. This includes talking about movies, dramas, plays, anime, and other similar forms of entertainment. You can use it to refer to the document itself or the act of writing one.

脚本 is typically written in kanji. The reading is きゃくほん in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word, nor are there significant variations in the okurigana.

There are no perfect synonyms, but related terms include: ⚫︎ シナリオ (shinario) - Scenario, often used in a less formal context or for shorter works. ⚫︎ 台本 (daipon) - Script (can be used for plays or other stage performances).

There aren't direct antonyms for 脚本, as it is a specific object. However, related concepts might include the final product, such as the finished film or play.

この映画の脚本］は、とても良く書けている。 ・Translation: The script for this movie is very well-written. ・Explanation: This sentence praises the quality of the screenplay.

私はいつか脚本］家になりたいです。 ・Translation: I want to become a screenwriter someday. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses a career aspiration.

The word 脚本 is a compound word: ⚫︎ 脚 (kyaku) - "foot," "base," but in this context, it refers to the "structure" or "foundation" of something. ⚫︎ 本 (hon) - "book," "script," or "text." Therefore, 脚本 literally means "script" or "written structure" reflecting its role as the foundation for the visual production.