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通俗文学 (tsuuzokubungaku) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

通つう俗ぞく文ぶん学がく

つ

う

ぞ

く

ぶ

ん

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く

Meanings

1

popular literature; popular writing

Refers to a genre or school of writing aimed at a general audience, often contrasted with pure or highbrow literature. The term can be used historically or in literary criticism.

彼かれは通つう俗ぞく文ぶん学がくの作さっ家かとして知しら

れ

て

いる

。

He is known as a writer of popular literature.

この小しょう説せつは通つう俗ぞく文ぶん学がくの代だい表ひょう作さくだ。

This novel is a representative work of popular literature.

Kanji

通traffic, pass through, avenue
俗vulgar, customs, manners
文sentence, literature, style
学study, learning, science

Related words

大たい衆しゅう文ぶん学がく
通俗文学 often carries a slightly dismissive, 'lowbrow' connotation, whereas 大衆文学 is the neutral, standard term for popular literature.

Built from

通つう俗ぞく+文ぶん学がく

Etymology

Compound of 通俗 (popular, common) and 文学 (literature). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used since the Meiji era to distinguish popular writing from elite literary forms.