- kabuki (n.)
[kabuki 词源字典]
- 1896, from Japanese, popular theater (as opposed to shadow puppet-plays or lyrical Noh dramas), literally "art of song and dance," from ka "song" + bu "dance" + ki "art, skill" [Barnhart, OED]. Alternative etymology (in Webster's) is from nominal form of kabuku "to be divergent, to deviate," from early opinion of this form of drama. Since c. 1650, all parts are played by males.[kabuki etymology, kabuki origin, 英语词源]