視聴者（しちょうしゃ、shichousha）
- viewer

The Japanese word 視聴者 refers to an audience member, viewer, or someone who watches a broadcast such as television, online video streams, or internet television programs.

Here are some specific examples of how 視聴者 is used in daily life. ⚫︎その番組は多くの視聴者から支持されています。 Translation: That program is supported by many viewers. ⚫︎人気YouTuberが視聴者に向けてメッセージを送った。 Translation: The popular YouTuber sent a message to their viewers.

This word is commonly used in contexts related to television, media studies, broadcasting, and modern online video platforms like YouTube or Twitch. You can use it when talking about the people who are watching a screen, whether on a traditional TV set or via digital streaming services. It is a formal yet very common noun found in news, articles, and general conversations about media.

視聴者 is typically written using three kanji characters. The hiragana reading is しちょうしゃ. It is not normally written in katakana, nor does it use okurigana because it is a compound noun formed entirely of kanji.

Common synonyms for 視聴者 include 観客, which refers to a live audience at a venue, and 閲覧者, which refers to online readers or visitors of a website. Another related term for media consumers is リスナー, which specifically refers to radio listeners.

The direct antonym of 視聴者 is the broadcaster or creator of the content, referred to as 出演者 (performer/cast) or 制作会社 (production company). In the context of broadcasting, those who produce the content stand opposite to the 視聴者 who consume it.

そのテレビ番組は視聴者からの意見を募集しています。 ・Translation: That television program is collecting opinions from viewers. ・Explanation: This sentence shows a common scenario where media programs interact with their audience.

ライブ配信中に視聴者とコメントで交流した。 ・Translation: I interacted with viewers through comments during the live stream. ・Explanation: This example demonstrates how the word 視聴者 is frequently used in modern digital and internet contexts.

The word 視聴者 is a compound of three Chinese-derived kanji elements. The first kanji 視 means to look or watch. The second kanji 聴 means to listen or hear. The third kanji 者 means a person. Combined together literally, 視聴者 means a person who watches and listens, which perfectly describes the act of consuming audio-visual media broadcasts.