候そうろう文ぶん

noun

sōrōbun; epistolary style using sōrō

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.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの手て紙がみは候そうろう文ぶんで書かかれていることが多おおい。

  Letters from the Edo period are often written in sōrōbun.

• 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.