A compound of 映 (*ei*, "to project/reflect light") and 画 (*ga*, "picture/drawing"). The word emerged in the Meiji era (late 19th century) as Japan adopted Western cinema technology, coining a native term that literally means "projected picture."

Japan has a rich film culture, from classic directors like Akira Kurosawa and Yasujirō Ozu to modern anime films by Studio Ghibli. The word 映画館 (*eigakan*, "movie theater") extends this root. Note that Japanese people often say 映画を見る (*eiga wo miru*) — "to watch a movie" — using 見る rather than 観る, though both spellings are correct.