主役

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 主役 is read as しゅやく and is a noun for a leading role in a performance or the figurative star of a situation.
• Basic usage: A stage role appears in 舞台の主役, while a featured ingredient appears in 野菜が主役だ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Literal role and figurative star
  • It can name an actor's central role or figuratively identify the most prominent element in food, an event, or another context.
• Difference from 主人公
  • 主人公 is the central character of a story, while 主役 centers on a leading part or the key element in a situation.