古こ典てん

こ

て

ん

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

classic work; the classics

Refers to classic literary works, especially books, that have enduring value or historical importance.

夏なつ目め漱そう石せきの作さく品ひんは日本にほん文ぶん学がくの古こ典てんです。
Natsume Soseki's works are classics of Japanese literature.
古こ典てんを読よむことは教きょう養ようを深ふかめるのに役やく立だつ。
Reading the classics helps deepen one's education.

See all 872 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

古こ典てんを読よむto read a classic (work)
夏なつ休やすみに古こ典てんを読よむことにした。
I decided to read some classics during summer vacation.
古こ典てんを学まなぶto study the classics
大だい学がくで日本にほんの古こ典てんを学まなんでいる。
I'm studying Japanese classics at university.
古こ典てんに親したしむto become familiar with the classics
子こ供どものうちから古こ典てんに親したしむのは大たい切せつだ。
It's important to become familiar with the classics from childhood.
古こ典てんを研けん究きゅうするto research the classics
彼かれは西せい洋ようの古こ典てんを研けん究きゅうしている学がく者しゃだ。
He is a scholar who researches Western classics.

Kanji

古old
典code, ceremony, law

Related words

名めい作さくN3
名作 means a masterpiece or famous work regardless of age, while 古典 specifically denotes an old work that has become canonical over time.
名めい著ちょN1
名著 highlights a book's outstanding quality or influence, whereas 古典 emphasizes its long-standing, historically enduring status.
クラシックN4
古典 is the native Japanese term for a classic work or body of classics, often in academic or literary contexts, while クラシック is the loanword equivalent with a broader, more casual feel that also covers music and style.
古こ文ぶん
古文 specifically means classical Japanese writing itself, while 古典 is the broader word for 'classics' from any culture or era.

Opposites

現げん代だいN3
古典 refers to works from the distant past considered classics, while 現代 refers to the present era, so 古典文学 and 現代文学 are often contrasted.

Don't confuse with

古こ文ぶん
古典 is the classic work itself (e.g. a novel or poem), while 古文 refers to the classical Japanese language or writing style used in such works.
古こ典てん的てきN2
古典 is the noun naming a classic work, while 古典的 is a na-adjective meaning 'classical' in style, so they cannot be swapped grammatically.
個こ展てんN1
個展 (a solo art exhibition) and 古典 (a classic work of literature or art) are pronounced identically but mean completely different things.

Counted with

冊さつN1
古典 is most often counted with 冊 when referring to a classic book or volume.

Word family· 22

古こ典てん的てきN2
classical; classic
古こ典てん学がく
classics; classical studies
古こ典てん派は
classical school; classical faction
古こ典てん語ご
classical language; dead language
古こ典てん主しゅ義ぎ
classicism

Show 5 more

古こ典てん力りき学がく
classical mechanics
古こ典てん古こ代だい
classical antiquity; Greek and Roman eras
古こ典てん学がく者しゃ
classicist; classical scholar
古こ典てん文ぶん学がく
classical literature
古こ典てん時じ代だい
the classical period

See all 22 in Explore →

Etymology

Composed of 古 (old) and 典 (code, rule, book), referring to old canonical texts. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with classic literature.