Japanese word

写生

Pronunciation

Romajishasei

Meaning

  • nounsketching

Example

春に公園で写生をします。haru ni kō en de sha sei o shi ma su

I sketch in the park in spring.

Illustration for 写生 (sketching)

More examples

湖の景色を写生するために、朝早く出かけます。mizuumi no keshiki o sha sei su ru ta me ni asa haya ku de ka ke ma su

I go out early in the morning to sketch the view of the lake.

Core concept

Captures the visible form of a real subject through close observation, making direct experience the basis of the drawing.

Common phrases

  • 写生に出かけるsha sei ni de ka ke ru

    go sketching

Similar words

スケッチsuketchi: A simple drawing that records the visible features of a subject with quick, basic lines.
デッサンdessan: A drawing used to study the shape and structure of a subject with limited detail.
素描sobyō: A rough drawing that presents the basic form of a subject without full detail.

Definition in Japanese

実物を見て観察したとおりに絵を描くこと。jitsu butsu o mi te kan satsu shi ta tō ri ni e o ega ku ko to

Word origin

写生 (shasei) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 写 (sha, "copy") and 生 (sei, "life"), so its form conveys copying what is alive or actually present.

Usage tips

  • A 写生 (shasei) exercise can use an ordinary park or street scene, since the focus is recording what is actually seen rather than choosing a famous subject.

Related words

  • 写生するshaseisurusketchverb

Word lists with this word