1.
written record of oral account; dictation transcript
A document created by writing down what someone has said, especially oral histories, interviews, or spoken testimony. Common as a literary and journalistic genre in Japan.
戦争体験の聞き書きをまとめた。
I compiled oral accounts of war experiences.
この本は職人たちの聞き書きに基づいている。
This book is based on oral accounts from craftsmen.
高齢者から昔の暮らしについて聞き書きをして、地域の歴史を記録した。
I recorded local history by taking oral accounts from elderly people about life in the past.
A compound of 聞く (to listen) and 書く (to write), in their conjunctive forms. The literal sense is "listening and writing" — recording what one hears.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 聞き書きをする (to take oral accounts)
- 聞き書きをまとめる (to compile oral accounts)
- 聞き書きに基づく (to be based on oral accounts)
聞き書き is an established literary genre in Japan, used for documenting the words of craftsmen, historical witnesses, and elderly community members. The term emphasizes faithfully recording spoken words rather than the writer's interpretation.