(こうしょう)

こうしょう
noun
artisan; master craftsman
formalpersonculture
1. artisan; master craftsman; skilled artisan
A highly skilled craftsperson, especially one who works with their hands in traditional crafts such as woodworking, metalwork, or stonework. A somewhat literary or formal term.
Skilled artisans were gathered together.
This temple was built by a renowned master craftsman.
Medieval European artisans devoted their lives to the construction of cathedrals.

Composed of (こう) (craft, construction) and (しょう) (artisan, master). A more literary and formal word than the everyday 職人(しょくにん). Often used in historical or elevated contexts to describe builders, sculptors, and other skilled manual workers.

Common collocations

  • (うで)いい工匠(こうしょう): skilled artisan
  • 名工匠(めいこうしょう): famous master craftsman
  • 工匠(こうしょう)(わざ): artisan's skill

Similar words

  • 職人(しょくにん): craftsman, artisan — the everyday term; broader and more common
  • (たくみ): master, artisan — used alone as a more poetic or branding-oriented term
  • 名匠(めいしょう): master craftsman — emphasizes fame and exceptional skill
  • 大工(だいく): carpenter — specifically a woodworking tradesperson