What does 芝居 mean?
芝居 is a Japanese noun meaning “stage play” or “acting” in English. It can also be translated as “an act (pretence)” depending on context. It is written as 芝居 in kanji, しばい in hiragana, and shibai in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N3 vocabulary.
Example sentences
週末に友達と芝居を見に行った。
I went to see a play with a friend at the weekend.
泣いているのは芝居だ。
The crying is just an act.