前略(ぜんりゃく)

ぜんりゃく
noun; expression
"forgive the omission of preliminaries" (letter opening)
communicationgreeting
1. opening of a letter that skips the formal greeting
A letter opening meaning roughly "omitting the preliminaries": it replaces the seasonal greeting and is closed with 草々(そうそう). Also, in quoting, "the earlier part omitted."
前略(ぜんりゃく)、お元気(げんき)ですか。
Excuse the brief note: how are you?
手紙(てがみ)は「前略(ぜんりゃく)」で始(はじ)まっていた。
The letter began with zenryaku.
前略(ぜんりゃく)で始(はじ)めた手紙(てがみ)は、結(むす)びを「草々(そうそう)」にするのが決(き)まりだ。
A letter that opens with zenryaku should close with sōsō.

Japanese letters pair an opening word (頭語(とうご)) with a closing word (結語(けつご)). 前略(ぜんりゃく) signals a short, friendly letter and drops the usual seasonal greeting; it is not used to superiors or in condolence letters.

Related words

Usage

  • In quotations, (前略(ぜんりゃく)) marks that the beginning has been cut, like (中略(ちゅうりゃく)) for the middle and (後略(こうりゃく)) for the end

Related Words

Related: 拝啓(はいけい) (Dear Sir/Madam (opening word of a letter))
general
Added 2026.10.14 21:20 · Revised 2026.10.15 10:20
32000/32015_zenryaku