書 — Write, Book

Meaning

書 holds two meanings that feed into each other: to write and a book or document. Writing produces books. Books are writing made permanent. The character captures both sides at once.

The form comes from oracle bone script, where it showed a hand gripping a brush above a writing surface. In the modern kanji, the top component (聿) is that hand with its brush; the bottom (曰) is the tablet beneath it. You can read the whole act of writing in the shape.

At 10 strokes, 書 is taught in Grade 2 of Japanese elementary school. It turns up everywhere: libraries, calligraphy studios, letters, dictionaries, bookstores, official paperwork.

Vietnamese speakers already know this character through sound. 書 reads as THƯ in Sino-Vietnamese: thư viện (library, from 書院), thư ký (secretary, from 書記), thư pháp (calligraphy, from 書法). Japanese and Vietnamese inherited this vocabulary from Classical Chinese — the connections are real, not coincidental.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

The on'yomi ショ (sho) traces back to Middle Chinese. It appears in compound nouns (jukugo), especially those involving documents, formal writing, and written culture.

• 図書館としょかん (toshokan) — library (lit. "hall of books and maps")
• 書道しょどう (shodō) — calligraphy (lit. "the way of writing")
• 辞書じしょ (jisho) — dictionary (lit. "book of words")
• 書類しょるい (shorui) — documents, paperwork
• 読書どくしょ (dokusho) — reading (books)

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

The kun'yomi か.く (kaku) is the native verb meaning "to write." The dot marks where the conjugating ending begins — か is the fixed stem, く changes form. Use this reading when 書 stands alone as a verb or anchors a verb compound.

• 書かく (kaku) — to write
• 書かき方かた (kakikata) — way of writing, penmanship
• 手書てがき (tegaki) — handwritten, by hand
• 書かき直なおす (kakinaosu) — to rewrite, to revise

Common Words & Compounds

書 combines readily with other kanji across a wide range of contexts. Here are the most useful compounds, grouped by theme.

Books and Reading:

• 図書館としょかん (toshokan) — library
• 図書としょ (tosho) — books, library books
• 読書どくしょ (dokusho) — reading (as a hobby or activity)
• 書店しょてん (shoten) — bookstore

Writing and Documents:

• 書類しょるい (shorui) — documents, paperwork
• 教科書きょうかしょ (kyōkasho) — textbook
• 辞書じしょ (jisho) — dictionary
• 手紙てがみ (tegami) — letter
• 書状しょじょう (shojō) — formal written correspondence
• 報告書ほうこくしょ (hōkokusho) — written report

Calligraphy and Art:

• 書道しょどう (shodō) — calligraphy, "the way of writing"
• 書家しょか (shoka) — calligrapher, master of calligraphy
• 楷書かいしょ (kaisho) — regular script (calligraphy style)
• 草書そうしょ (sōsho) — cursive script (calligraphy style)

Everyday Writing:

• 書き方かきかた (kakikata) — way of writing, penmanship
• 手書きてがき (tegaki) — handwritten, by hand
• 書き直すかきなおす (kakinaosu) — to rewrite, correct in writing

Example Sentences

Related Kanji

• 時 — Time, Hour (Kanji N5)
• 気 — Spirit, Energy, Air (Kanji N5)
• 今 — Now, Present (Kanji N5)
• 万 — Ten Thousand (Kanji N5)
• 六 — Six (Kanji N5)
• 買 — Buy, Purchase (Kanji N5)

Memory Tip

Picture a calligrapher at a desk, brush in hand. The top of 書 (聿) looks like fingers gripping that brush, bristles pointing down. The bottom (曰) is the flat tablet waiting beneath it.

書道 (shodō) is the best anchor. It means "the way of writing" and refers to Japanese calligraphy — watching a calligrapher work makes the character stick. Brush strokes surface. Writing happens. A book is just that act, repeated and bound.

Vietnamese learners can reinforce this with thư viện — the library you already know. THƯ is the sound; 書 is the character behind it.