also: たんしょ
foreword; preface; introduction
Refers to introductory remarks at the beginning of a book or document. Common in formal or literary contexts.
Rarely used for a postscript; more commonly expressed as あとがき or 追伸. This sense may appear in older texts.
In the foreword of this book, the author's motivation for writing is described.
A short postscript was added at the end of the old letter.
Standard kanji spelling for the reading はしがき.
Abbreviated kanji spelling; also read たんしょ, but はしがき is more common.
Rare reading for the abbreviated kanji form; はしがき is the usual reading.
端 (はし, 'edge' or 'beginning') + 書き (かき, 'writing'), referring to writing at the beginning or end of a text. The reading たんしょ is a Sino-Japanese reading of the same kanji.