現げん代だい語ご

げ

ん

だ

い

ご

Meanings

1

modern language; contemporary language

Refers to a language in its current, living form, as opposed to classical or historical stages. Often used in linguistic contexts.

この辞じ書しょは現げん代だい語ごの用よう例れいを多おおく載のせている。
This dictionary includes many examples of modern language usage.

2

modern Japanese

Specifically refers to the Japanese language as used since the Meiji period or post-WWII, in contrast to classical Japanese (古文/文語).

現げん代だい語ご訳やくで古こ典てんを読よむと理り解かいしやすい。
Reading classics in modern Japanese translation makes them easier to understand.

See all 60 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈文ぶん章しょう〉を現げん代だい語ごに訳やくすto translate a text into modern language
この古こ典てん文ぶん学がくの一いっ節せつを現げん代だい語ごに訳やくしてみた。
I tried translating this passage of classical literature into modern language.
現げん代だい語ごで書かくto write in modern language
この教きょう科か書しょは現げん代だい語ごで書かかれているので読よみやすい。
This textbook is written in modern language, so it's easy to read.

Kanji

現present, existing, actual
代substitute, change, convert
語word, speech, language

Opposites

古こ文ぶん sense 2
現代語 is the language as spoken and written today, while 古文 refers to classical Japanese texts and the language they were written in.
文ぶん語ごN1sense 2
現代語 covers today's living language, whereas 文語 is the classical written style once used for formal and literary Japanese.
古こ語ご sense 1
現代語 means a word or usage current today, while 古語 means an archaic word or expression no longer in common use.

Don't confuse with

現げん代だい文ぶん sense 2
現代語 refers to the modern language itself (vocabulary, grammar, usage), while 現代文 refers to modern-style prose texts, especially as a school subject distinct from 古文.

Word family

現げん代だい語ご訳やくN2
modern translation; translation into modern language

Built from

現げん代だい+語ご

Etymology

Compound of 現代 (modern era) and 語 (language). The term became common as a way to distinguish contemporary Japanese from classical forms.