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候文 (そうろうぶん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
sōrōbun ; epistolary style using sōrō
historical term
Historical written style used in letters and documents from the Heian through Edo periods, characterized by the auxiliary verb 候 (そうろう) instead of ある. Primarily encountered in classical texts and historical studies.
候そうろう 文ぶん を 読よ む に は 古こ 文ぶん の 知ち 識しき が 必ひつ 要よう だ 。
Reading sōrōbun requires knowledge of classical Japanese.
Kanji 候 climate, season, weather 文 sentence, literature, style Similar words 文ぶん 語ご 体たい 文語体 is a broader term for classical literary style, while 候文 specifically refers to the epistolary style using 候.
候そうろう 候 is the auxiliary verb itself; 候文 is the style or text that uses it.
Etymology From 候 (そうろう, an auxiliary verb used in place of ある in classical epistolary style) + 文 (ぶん, 'writing'). The auxiliary 候 itself derives from the verb 候ふ (そうろう, 'to serve'), which was used as a humble auxiliary in letters.
