映画館

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 映画館, read えいがかん, means a venue where films are screened.
• Basic usage: It names the venue where people go to see a film, including a family visit to the movies.
  • 駅前の映画館で古い名作が再上映される。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Scope compared with 劇場
  • 映画館 specifically focuses on film screenings, while 劇場 is broader and includes venues for performances such as plays. A cinema may also be called a 劇場.