ぼけ

noun

fool; idiot; dummy

Casual term for a foolish or slow-witted person. Often used playfully or in self-deprecation.

• また忘わすれたの？お前まえは本ほん当とうにぼけだな。

  You forgot again? You really are an idiot.

• ぼけなこと言いわないでよ。

  Don't say stupid things.

noun

senility; dementia; dotage

Colloquial term for age-related mental decline. In medical contexts, 認知症 is preferred.

• 祖そ父ふは最さい近きんぼけが進すすんできた。

  My grandfather's senility has been progressing lately.

• ぼけ防ぼう止しのためにパズルをやっている。

  I do puzzles to prevent dementia.

suffix

-induced haze; out of it (from); sluggish (from)

Suffix attached to nouns indicating a cause (e.g., 時差ぼけ, 寝ぼけ) to mean a dazed or sluggish state resulting from it.

See also: 時差ぼけ

• 海かい外がい旅りょ行こうのあとはいつも時じ差さぼけに悩なやまされる。

  I always suffer from jet lag after traveling abroad.

• 朝あさは寝ねぼけていて、何なにを言いったか覚おぼえていない。

  I was half-asleep in the morning and don't remember what I said.

noun

funny man; straight man (comedy duo)

In manzai comedy, the ぼけ is the partner who makes silly mistakes or absurd remarks, setting up the つっこみ (straight man) to retort.

See also: つっこみ · 漫才

• あのコンビはぼけとつっこみのバランスが絶ぜつ妙みょうだ。

  That duo has an exquisite balance between the funny man and the straight man.