Translation guide
A sketchbook is a book or pad of paper for drawing, sketching, or painting. In Japanese, the most common word is スケッチブック, a loanword from English. There are also native Japanese terms like 画帳 and 写生帳, which are more formal or traditional.
sketchbook (blank book for drawing)
A book or pad of paper used for drawing, sketching, or painting, typically with blank pages.
The most common and widely understood word for 'sketchbook' in Japanese. It is a loanword from English and is used in everyday conversation, art supply stores, and schools.
I bought a new sketchbook.
I draw landscapes in my sketchbook.
A more formal or traditional term for a sketchbook or drawing album. It can also refer to a book of paintings or drawings. Less common in casual speech but still understood.
He set off on a journey with a sketchbook.
Literally 'sketching notebook', this term emphasizes sketching from life (写生). It is used in art contexts, especially for outdoor sketching or nature drawing. Less common than スケッチブック.
I opened my sketchbook and started drawing flowers.
A book containing a collection of sketches or drawings, often bound and used as a portfolio or record.
Refers to a collection of sketches, often published or compiled. It emphasizes the content rather than the physical blank book.
This sketchbook is a collection of his early works.
A book of paintings or drawings, often used for art books or collections. It can be used for a sketchbook if it is a bound collection of sketches, but it is broader and includes finished artworks.
In Japanese, スケッチブック specifically refers to a sketchbook with blank pages for drawing. If you want a notebook for writing, use ノート (note) or 手帳 (てちょう, planner). Don't use スケッチブック for a writing notebook.
It's weird to take notes in a sketchbook.
彼の画集には美しい風景画がたくさんある。
His sketchbook contains many beautiful landscape drawings.