also: あかぼん
noun
pulp fiction; dime novel
Refers to cheap, popular entertainment books, often with red covers, from the early 20th century. Now a historical term.
大正時代には、赤本と呼ばれる大衆小説が人気を博した。
In the Taisho era, popular novels called akahon gained popularity.
noun
Colloquial term for the red-covered exam preparation books published by Kyōgakusha, widely used by Japanese high school students.
受験生は赤本で過去問を解く。
Exam candidates solve past papers using the akahon.
赤本を買って、志望校の傾向を調べた。
I bought the akahon and checked the trends of my target school.
noun
Edo-period storybook with red cover
Historical term for illustrated storybooks (草双紙) with red covers, popular in the Edo period.
See also: 草双紙
江戸時代の赤本は、子ども向けの絵入り読み物だった。
Edo-period akahon were illustrated reading materials for children.
noun
Michelin Red Guide
Refers specifically to the Michelin Red Guide, a famous restaurant and hotel guidebook with a red cover.
フランス旅行のために、赤本（ミシュランガイド）を買った。
I bought the Red Guide (Michelin Guide) for my trip to France.
Literally 'red book'. The term has been applied to various red-covered publications across different eras, from Edo-period storybooks to modern exam workbooks and the Michelin Guide.