人形（にんぎょう、ningiょu）
- doll

The Japanese word 人形 人形, pronounced にんぎょう (ningyou), primarily means "doll" or "figure." It refers to a representation of a human, animal, or mythical creature, typically used as a toy, for display, or in cultural practices. The word can also extend to represent any kind of figure, like statues or mannequins, depending on the context. 人形 人形 encapsulates the idea of a constructed or crafted representation.

⚫︎可愛い人形 Translation: Cute doll ⚫︎人形を飾る。 Translation: To display a doll. ⚫︎博物館には歴史的な人形があります。 Translation: There are historical dolls in the museum.

You use 人形 人形 when talking about dolls, figurines, statues, or mannequins. It can be used in various situations, such as describing toys, art objects, or objects used in festivals or displays. It's a common and versatile word.

⚫︎The word is primarily written with the kanji 人形. ⚫︎The reading is にんぎょう in hiragana. ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ぬいぐるみ (nuigurumi): Stuffed toy (often used for soft, plush dolls). ⚫︎フィギュア (figyua): Figure (borrowed from English, often used for collectible figures). ⚫︎雛人形 (hina ningyou): Hina dolls (specific type of dolls used in the Hinamatsuri festival).

There are no direct antonyms for 人形, but concepts like "real person" or "living being" could be considered opposites in a broader sense.

私は子供の頃、たくさんの人形で遊んでいました。 ・Translation: I used to play with many dolls when I was a child. ・Explanation: This sentence describes playing with dolls in childhood.

そのお店には美しい着物姿の人形が飾られていました。 ・Translation: Beautiful dolls in kimonos were displayed in that shop. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the display of dolls in a kimono.

人形 is composed of two kanji: 人 (nin/hito), meaning "person" or "human," and 形 (gyou/kata/katachi), meaning "shape" or "form." Therefore, 人形 literally means "human form" or "human shape," reflecting the core concept of a doll or figure representing a person or being.