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捕物帳 (とりものちょう, torimonochou) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

捕とり物もの帳ちょう

と

り

も

の

ちょ

う

Meanings

1

Edo-period detective story; thief-taker tale

Refers to a genre of fiction set in the Edo period, often featuring 目明かし or 岡っ引き as protagonists. The term evokes a historical, nostalgic feel.

See also: 目明し · 岡っ引き

この捕とり物もの帳ちょうは江え戸どの庶しょ民みんの暮くらしを

生い

き

生い

き

と

描えが

い

て

いる

。

This detective story vividly depicts the lives of common people in Edo.

彼かれは捕とり物もの帳ちょうを読よみながら、江え戸ど時じ代だいの町ちょう人にん文ぶん化かに思おもいを馳はせた。

While reading the thief-taker tale, he imagined the merchant culture of the Edo period.

2

detective's memoirs; thief-taker's memoirs

Can refer to a real detective's or thief-taker's written record of cases, distinct from fictional stories. Less common than the fictional genre sense.

その捕とり物もの帳ちょうは、実じっ際さいに岡おかっ引ぴきが書かき残のこした手しゅ記きだった。
That detective's memoirs were actually notes left by a real thief-taker.

Kanji

捕catch, capture
物thing, object, matter
帳notebook, account book, album
帖quire (of paper), bundle of seaweed, counter for screens

Related words

目め明あかし
A type of Edo-period detective or informant, often a protagonist in 捕物帳 stories.
岡おかっ引ぴき
A low-ranking Edo-period police assistant or thief-taker, frequently featured in 捕物帳.
時じ代だい小しょう説せつ
A broader category of historical fiction; 捕物帳 is a subgenre focused on crime and detection in the Edo period.

Written forms

捕とり物もの帳ちょう
Standard kanji spelling; 帳 is the common character for a record book or ledger.
捕とり物もの帖ちょう
Variant using 帖, which also means a notebook or album; less common but still seen.
捕とり物もの帳ちょう
Rare spelling with okurigana り; the standard form omits it.

Etymology

Compound of 捕物 (とりもの, 'capture' or 'arrest') and 帳 (ちょう, 'ledger' or 'account book'), literally 'arrest ledger'. The term originally referred to records of arrests kept by Edo-period law enforcement, later extended to fictional stories based on such records.