Japanese word

小説家

Pronunciation

Romajishōsetsuka

Meaning

  • nounnovelist

Example

私は小説家を目指しています。watashi wa shō setsu ka o me za shi te i ma su

I aim to become a novelist.

Illustration for 小説家 (novelist)

More examples

その小説家は新しい作品を発表しました。so no shō setsu ka wa atara shi i saku hin o hap pyō shi ma shi ta

That novelist published a new work.

Core concept

Names a person who turns imagined or observed people and events into sustained narrative prose.

Common phrases

  • 小説家を目指すshō setsu ka o me za su

    aim to become a novelist

  • 小説家になるshō setsu ka ni na ru

    become a novelist

Similar words

作家sakka: A writer of literary or other written works, which may include novels.

Definition in Japanese

人物や出来事を描く物語性のある文章作品を創作する人。jin butsu ya de ki goto o ega ku monogatari sei no a ru bun shō saku hin o sō saku su ru hito

Word origin

The compound 小説家 (shōsetsuka, "novelist") consists of 小説 (shōsetsu, "novel") and 家 (ka, "a person engaged in a field"); 小説 itself is formed from 小 (shō, "small") and 説 (setsu, "explanation").

Usage tips

  • In English, novelist is more specific than author because an author can create any kind of written work, while a novelist writes novels.

Word lists with this word