1.
used book; secondhand book
A book that has been previously owned. Sold at used bookstores, flea markets, and online platforms.
古本屋で珍しい本を見つけた。
I found a rare book at a used bookstore.
教科書は古本で買えば安い。
Textbooks are cheap if you buy them used.
引っ越しの前に読まなくなった本を古本屋に売った。
Before moving, I sold books I no longer read to a used bookstore.
Japan has a rich used-book culture. 神保町 in Tokyo is famous worldwide as a district packed with 古本屋. The chain ブックオフ (Book Off) is Japan's largest used-book retailer.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 古本屋 (used bookstore)
- 古本市 (used book fair/market)
- 古本を売る (to sell used books)
- 古本を買う (to buy used books)
Also read as こほん in more formal or literary contexts, but ふるほん is the everyday reading.