Japanese word

小説

Pronunciation

Romajishōsetsu

Meaning

  • nounnovel

Example

私は小説を読みます。watashi wa shō setsu o yo mi ma su

I read novels.

Illustration for 小説 (novel)

More examples

友達と好きな小説について話します。tomo dachi to su ki na shō setsu ni tsu i te hana shi ma su

I talk with my friends about novels I like.

Core concept

Describes a developed fictional world through a relatively long work of prose.

Common phrases

  • 小説を読むshō setsu o yo mu

    read a novel

  • 小説を書くshō setsu o ka ku

    write a novel

Similar words

物語monogatari: A story about events and characters that may be short or long and may be told in different forms.

Definition in Japanese

架空の人物や出来事を、まとまりのある長い散文で描く作品。ka kū no jin butsu ya de ki goto o ma to ma ri no a ru naga i san bun de ega ku saku hin

Word origin

小説 (shōsetsu, "novel") uses the Sino-Japanese readings of 小 (shō, "small") and 説 (setsu, "explanation"); the compound originally referred to a minor narrative.

Usage tips

  • The English noun novel usually suggests a longer fictional work than story, although story can refer to fiction more broadly.

Other meanings

  • fictionnoun
  • storynoun

Related words

Word lists with this word