ukiyo-e

American  

[yoo-kee-oh-ay, oo-kee-yaw-e] / juˈki oʊˌeɪ, ʊˈki jɔˈɛ /

noun

1. a genre style of painting and printmaking developed in Japan from the 17th to the 19th centuries and marked by the depiction of the leisure activities of ordinary people.

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ukiyo-e British  

/ ˌuːkiːjəʊˈjeɪ /

noun

1. a school of Japanese painting depicting subjects from everyday life

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Etymology

Origin of ukiyo-e

1895–1900; < Japanese, equivalent to uki-yo transitory world ( uki float + yo world) + ( w ) e picture (perhaps < Middle Chinese; compare Chinese huà )

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Explanation

Ukiyo-e is a traditional style of Japanese art that flourished during the Edo period (1603–1868). Hand-painted works and mass-produced woodblock prints depict urban life, popular entertainment, landscapes, and other aspects of Japanese culture. The word ukiyo-e translates to "pictures of the floating world," adapted from a Buddhist term, ukiyo, referring to the transience of life. Ukiyo-e prints often feature bold outlines, flat areas of vibrant color, and unconventional perspectives. Common subjects include Kabuki actors, fashionable women, scenic views, and famous landmarks. This art style inspired Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Edgar Degas.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ukiyo-e

Inspired by a visit to Giverny, the village Claude Monet called home, Murakami explores ukiyo-e and Impressionism in 24 new paintings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026

In the Japanese gallery, for example, she has replaced ink paintings and ukiyo-e prints with seven fukusa, richly embroidered satin cloths people draped over gifts at celebrations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2018

Utamaro was a draughtsman who contributed prodigiously to the production of ukiyo-e, the prints that depicted the gracious women of the floating world.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 14, 2017

Her later inspirations include the Japanese woodblock print style known as ukiyo-e — “It was an instant love,” she says of the distinct style — and, more recently, following her contemporaries on social media.

From The Verge ● Jun. 4, 2016

But ukiyo-e prints of the same figures were cheap, perfect products of the Yoshiwara cash-and-carry culture.

From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2014

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