noun
epistolary style using 'sōrō' instead of 'aru'
Historical term referring to a formal letter-writing style that used the auxiliary verb 候 (そうろう) in place of ある. Associated with 候文 (そうろうぶん).
See also: 候文
江戸時代の手紙は候調で書かれていた。
Letters in the Edo period were written in the sōrō epistolary style.
候調の特徴は、文末に「候」を用いることだ。
A characteristic of the sōrō style is the use of 'sōrō' at the end of sentences.
候文 is the broader term for texts written in the sōrō style, while 候調 specifically refers to the epistolary style itself.
Compound of 候 (そうろう, an auxiliary verb used in classical formal writing) and 調 (ちょう, 'tone' or 'style').