尺せき牘とく

noun

letter; epistle

A formal, literary term for a letter or epistle, derived from classical Chinese. Extremely rare in modern Japanese; used mainly in historical or literary contexts. The more common modern word is 手紙 (てがみ).

• 尺せき牘とくという言こと葉ばは、昔むかしの手て紙がみを指さす雅が語ごだ。

  The word 尺牘 is an elegant term for old-fashioned letters.

• 彼かれは尺せき牘とくの名めい手しゅとして知しられていた。

  He was known as a master of letter writing (using the classical term 尺牘).