Huaju (simplified Chinese: 话剧; traditional Chinese: 話劇; pinyin: Huàjù; lit. 'word drama'), translated variously as spoken drama, modern spoken drama, or modern Chinese drama, is a form of spoken-word drama found through the Sinophone world. Characterized by naturalistic dialogue as well as realistic make-up, costumes, sets, and lighting, and clear divisions between acts and scenes, it emerged in the 1920s through the application of realist philosophy to the earlier civilized drama. Early proponents, such as Ouyang Yuqian, Hong Shen, Tian Han, and Cao Yu, drew on the thought of Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and Maksim Gorky to create a style of drama suited for the modern age. It remained highly formalized, despite efforts to introduce elements of Chinese opera, through the 1960s. Banned in China during the Cultural Revolution, reforms introduced since the 1970s have allowed the rise of avant-garde and hybrid forms. Huaju is also attested in Taiwan and Hong Kong, where it has evolved separately since the end of the Chinese Civil War.
Popular reception of huaju has waxed and waned over time, with early works limited to urban audiences and more recent ones finding greater acceptance as audiences have become increasingly exposed to Western culture. Themes have varied, with early works noted for their political content and their emphasis on gender roles. Translation of huaju began in the 1930s, and has become increasingly common since the 1980s.