随筆(ずいひつ)

ずいひつ
noun
essay, miscellaneous writings
1. essay, personal essay
A short piece of writing on a particular subject, often reflecting the author's personal thoughts and experiences.
彼女(かのじょ)は随筆(ずいひつ)家(か)として有名(ゆうめい)だ。
She is famous as an essayist.
随筆(ずいひつ)家(か) = essayist
この随筆(ずいひつ)集(しゅう)には日常(にちじょう)生活(せいかつ)についての文章(ぶんしょう)が載(の)っている。
This essay collection contains writings about everyday life.
枕草子(まくらのそうし)は日本(にほん)最古(さいこ)の随筆(ずいひつ)と言(い)われている。
The Pillow Book is said to be Japan's oldest essay collection.
A famous work by Sei Shōnagon from the Heian period

随筆(ずいひつ) is the Japanese term for personal essays. The genre has a long history in Japan, with classics like 枕草子(まくらのそうし) (The Pillow Book) and 徒然草(つれづれぐさ) (Essays in Idleness).

The word literally means 'writing following the brush' (随(ずい) = following, 筆(ひつ) = brush/pen), suggesting the informal, flowing nature of the writing.

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 随筆(ずいひつ)家(か): essayist
  • 随筆(ずいひつ)集(しゅう): essay collection

CLASSIC JAPANESE ESSAYS:

  • 枕草子(まくらのそうし): The Pillow Book (Sei Shōnagon)
  • 徒然草(つれづれぐさ): Essays in Idleness (Yoshida Kenkō)
  • 方丈記(ほうじょうき): An Account of My Hut (Kamo no Chōmei)

SYNONYM:

  • エッセイ: essay (loanword, more commonly used in modern contexts)
general
Added 2026.1.14 7:31 · Revised 2026.5.31 5:06
04000/04314_zuihitsu