How do you say "literature" in Japanese?

文学

bungaku

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "literature" is 文学 (bungaku).

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Pronunciation

文学 is written using kanji. Romanised as bungaku, it sounds roughly like "boo-n-gah-koo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Bungaku pairs 文 (writing/culture) with 学 (study). Study of written culture and artistic works.

Example sentence

机の上に文学があります。

Tsukue no ue ni Bungaku ga arimasu.

There is a literature on the desk.

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How to remember 文学

Written culture study. Books and poems examined as art.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

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Questions about 文学

How do you pronounce 文学?

文学 is romanised as bungaku. Say it roughly like "boo-n-gah-koo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 文学 formal or casual?

文学 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 文学 written in Japanese?

文学 is written using kanji. Bungaku pairs 文 (writing/culture) with 学 (study).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Literature" in other languages

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