1.
secondhand bookshop, used bookstore
A shop that buys and sells used books. Also refers to the owner or operator of such a shop.
古本屋 can refer to both the shop itself and the person who runs it. It is the everyday term for a used bookstore.
Forms
古本 (used book) + 屋 (shop/dealer). The 屋 suffix commonly turns a product into a shop name.
Related words
- 古本: used book, secondhand book
- 本屋: bookstore (new books)
- 古書店: antiquarian bookshop (more formal/literary, often specializing in rare books)
- 古書: old/rare book (more literary than 古本)
Cultural note
神保町 in Tokyo is Japan's most famous district for 古本屋, with hundreds of shops. ブックオフ (Book Off) is a well-known chain of used bookstores found throughout Japan.