音読み: ギ
訓読み: たわむれる
画数: 15
部首: 戈（ほこづくり）
Meaning
Play / Sport / Frolic / Banter / Jest
- 戯れる — to play / frolic / flirt
- 戯曲 — play / drama
- 戯言 — nonsense / idle talk
- 戯画 — caricature / cartoon
- 遊戯 — game / pastime
- 演戯 — performance / acting
戯 combines the radical 戈 (halberd) with phonetic and semantic elements suggesting lightness or jest. The idea: even in the presence of “weapons,” the action is not serious battle, but playful sparring, frolic, or jest. This extends to words for games (遊戯), stage plays (戯曲), and jokes (戯言).
戯言 or 戯言 — both mean “idle talk, nonsense.” Same kanji, two voices: たわごと feels lighter, like playful chatter; ざれごと leans rougher, like jesting words. Either way, 戯 + 言 tells you: not serious speech, just banter.
Creates
演戯 — performance, acting, stage play.