活 字(かつじ)

かつじ

noun

printing type; printed text

1. printing type; movable type; font

Metal blocks with raised letters used in traditional printing. By extension, refers to printed text in general.

活字(かつじ)を拾(ひろ)う職人(しょくにん)の技(わざ)。

The skill of typesetters who pick up movable type.

[Note: Traditional printing terminology]

博物館(はくぶつかん)に昔(むかし)の活字(かつじ)が展示(てんじ)されている。

Old printing type is on display at the museum.

グーテンベルクは活字(かつじ)印刷(いんさつ)を発明(はつめい)した人物(じんぶつ)として知(し)られている。

Gutenberg is known as the person who invented movable type printing.

2. printed text; print (as opposed to handwriting or speech)

Written text that has been printed or published, as distinguished from manuscripts or spoken words.

活字(かつじ)離(ばな)れが進(すす)んでいる。

People are increasingly turning away from print media.

[Note: 活字離れ = decline in reading printed materials]

活字(かつじ)になった文章(ぶんしょう)を初(はじ)めて見(み)て感動(かんどう)した。

I was moved when I first saw my writing in print.

若者(わかもの)の活字(かつじ)離(ばな)れが社会(しゃかい)問題(もんだい)になっている。

Young people's move away from print media has become a social issue.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: 活字(かつじ) refers to the metal type pieces used in movable type printing, invented in China and later developed in Korea and Europe (Gutenberg). Japan adopted movable type in the late 1500s.

MODERN USAGE:

活字(かつじ)離(ばな)れ (decline in reading print)
活字(かつじ)を追(お)う (to read voraciously)
活字(かつじ)中毒(ちゅうどく) (print addiction - avid reader)
活字(かつじ)文化(ぶんか) (print culture)
活字(かつじ)媒体(ばいたい) (print media)

EXPRESSIONS:

活字(かつじ)になる (to be published, to appear in print)
活字(かつじ)を拾(ひろ)う (to set type - traditional printing)

印刷(いんさつ) (printing)
出版(しゅっぱん) (publishing)
フォント (font - modern term)

Related Words

Related: 印刷(いんさつ) (printing)

general

Added 2026.1.13 19:53 · Revised 2026.5.10 5:11

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