文学賞(ぶんがくしょう)

Composed of 文学(ぶんがく) (literature) + 賞(しょう) (prize, award). Literary prizes are major cultural events in Japan and receive wide media coverage, especially the biannual announcement of the 芥川賞(あくたがわしょう) and 直木賞(なおきしょう).

Common collocations

• 文学賞(ぶんがくしょう)を受賞(じゅしょう)する: to win a literary prize
• 文学賞(ぶんがくしょう)の候補(こうほ): literary prize nominee
• 文学賞(ぶんがくしょう)の選考(せんこう): literary prize selection process
• 文学賞(ぶんがくしょう)受賞作(じゅしょうさく): literary prize-winning work

Cultural note

Major Japanese literary prizes include:

• 芥川賞(あくたがわしょう): Akutagawa Prize — for promising new writers of literary fiction
• 直木賞(なおきしょう): Naoki Prize — for established writers of popular fiction
• 本屋大賞(ほんやたいしょう): Bookstore Grand Prize — chosen by bookstore staff