口伝(くちづた)え

くちづたえ
noun
word of mouth; oral tradition; hearsay
communication
1. word of mouth; oral tradition; passing on by telling
Information or tradition passed from person to person through speech rather than in writing. Can refer to both casual information spreading and the preservation of cultural knowledge through oral tradition.
口伝(くちづた)えで広(ひろ)まった。
It spread by word of mouth.
この伝説(でんせつ)は口伝(くちづた)えで伝(つた)わってきた。
This legend has been passed down through oral tradition.
あのレストランは口伝(くちづた)えで評判(ひょうばん)が広(ひろ)がり、いつも満席(まんせき)だ。
That restaurant's reputation spread by word of mouth, and it's always full.

Compound of 口(くち) (mouth) and 伝(つた)え (transmission). Refers to the spreading of information or traditions through spoken communication.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 口伝(くちづた)え: word of mouth — general oral transmission
  • 口(くち)コミ: word-of-mouth reviews — modern term, especially for online reviews and recommendations
  • 言(い)い伝(つた)え: tradition, legend — a story passed down through generations
  • 伝聞(でんぶん): hearsay — more formal, used in legal and journalistic contexts

Usage

In modern Japanese, 口(くち)コミ (abbreviation of 口(くち)コミュニケーション) has largely replaced 口伝(くちづた)え in everyday contexts like restaurant and product recommendations. 口伝(くちづた)え is more commonly used for historical or cultural oral traditions.

Related Words

Compare: 口(くち)コミ (word-of-mouth reviews)
Compare: 言(い)い伝(つた)え (tradition, legend)
Compare: 伝聞(でんぶん) (hearsay)
general
Added 2026.4.3 1:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
21500/21570_kuchizutae