1.
pocket-sized nonfiction book; shinsho
A distinctive Japanese book format, typically 17-18 cm tall and published as part of a numbered series by major publishers. Shinsho are usually nonfiction works aimed at general readers, covering topics like current affairs, science, history, and philosophy in an accessible style.
この新書は読みやすい。
This shinsho is easy to read.
駅の書店で新書を一冊買った。
I bought a pocket-sized book at the station bookshop.
岩波新書は日本で最も歴史のある新書シリーズだ。
Iwanami Shinsho is the oldest pocket-book series in Japan.
CULTURE:
新書 is a uniquely Japanese publishing format launched by Iwanami Shoten in 1938. Major publishers each maintain their own 新書 line (岩波新書, 中公新書, 講談社現代新書, etc.). They are affordable, slim volumes designed for commuters and general readers.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 新書サイズ (shinsho size/format)
- 新書を読む (to read a shinsho)
- 新書コーナー (shinsho section in a bookstore)
NOTE:
Do not confuse with 新刊 (new publication) or 文庫 (bunko, a different pocket-book format that reprints fiction and classics in an even smaller size).