独白

The term refers to the act of speaking one's inner thoughts aloud. While it is often translated as "soliloquy" or "monologue," it carries a distinct nuance of revealing one's true, private feelings that are not intended for other characters to hear, even if the audience can hear them.

It is crucial to distinguish "dokuhaku" from "hitorigoto" (独り言). "Hitorigoto" describes the casual, often unconscious muttering or talking to oneself in daily life (e.g., "Where did I put my keys?"). In contrast, "dokuhaku" is a more formal, literary, or theatrical term. It implies a deliberate expression of internal conflict or a structured narrative device used in plays and novels to provide insight into a character's psyche.

In modern usage, it is frequently used in the context of storytelling, cinema, and theater to describe a scene where a character addresses themselves or the audience to convey their innermost state of mind. It is rarely used in casual, spoken conversation unless referring to a performance or a specific literary technique.