蘊蓄(うんちく)

うんちく
noun
extensive knowledge; accumulated expertise; trivia
cognition
1. extensive knowledge, accumulated expertise, deep learning on a subject
A deep store of knowledge on a particular subject, accumulated through study and experience. Often used in the expression 蘊蓄を傾ける (to display one's expertise). In modern casual usage, can also refer to impressive trivia or detailed knowledge someone eagerly shares.
彼(かれ)はワインの蘊蓄(うんちく)がすごい。
He has an incredible depth of knowledge about wine.
料理(りょうり)の蘊蓄(うんちく)を傾(かたむ)けて語(かた)り始(はじ)めた。
He began holding forth, displaying all his expertise on cooking.
飲(の)み会(かい)で日本酒(にほんしゅ)の蘊蓄(うんちく)をたれる人(ひと)がいて、ちょっとうんざりした。
There was someone at the drinking party who kept going on about sake trivia, and I got a little tired of it.

Usage

Originally a positive term for deep, accumulated knowledge, but in casual modern Japanese, 蘊蓄(うんちく)をたれる or 蘊蓄(うんちく)を語(かた)る can carry a mildly negative nuance of someone showing off obscure knowledge or boring others with excessive detail.

Common patterns

  • 蘊蓄(うんちく)を傾(かたむ)ける: to display one's extensive knowledge (literary, positive)
  • 蘊蓄(うんちく)をたれる: to bore others with one's expertise (casual, mildly negative)
  • 蘊蓄(うんちく)を語(かた)る: to expound on one's knowledge

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.28 8:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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