Meaning and Usage
"観客" (かんきゃく) refers to people who watch or attend an event such as a sports game, concert, theater performance, or movie screening. It specifically means "audience" or "spectators" who are physically present to observe.
Common Contexts
You will often see "観客" used in contexts related to sports, concerts, theater, and cinema. It emphasizes the role of the people watching rather than participating.
Collocations and Patterns
- 観客席 (かんきゃくせき): spectator seats; the area where the audience sits.
- 観客動員 (かんきゃくどういん): attracting an audience; used in event promotion.
- 観客数 (かんきゃくすう): number of spectators.
- 観客を魅了する (かんきゃくをみりょうする): to captivate the audience.
Register and Nuance
"観客" is a neutral and common noun used in both formal and informal contexts. It is not used for listeners of radio or viewers of TV programs; those are usually "視聴者".
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "観客" with "観光客" (tourist). Remember, "観客" is for people watching an event, while "観光客" means tourists visiting places.