称賛
shōsan
In Japanese, the English phrase 'accolade' is translated as 称賛 (shōsan).
称賛 is a noun meaning a special acknowledgment or praise.
Meaning: a special acknowledgment, an award (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 称賛 is composed of two characters: 称, which means praise or commend and 賛, which means approval or praise.
Which one should you use?
While 称賛 refers to the act of praise or the commendation itself, the word 賞 (shō) is more commonly used when you are specifically referring to a physical award or prize.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the state of being praised or receiving accolades, you can use the passive form 称賛される.
How do you pronounce it?
shōsan
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, receiving a 称賛 is often met with a gesture of humility, where the recipient denies the praise to avoid appearing arrogant.
- If a person is given too many 称賛, they might feel 恐縮 (kyōshuku), a specific feeling of being overwhelmed or humbled by the kindness of others.
- The character 称 in 称賛 can also be used in the word 名称 (meishō), which means 'name' or 'title', linking the idea of praising something to the act of naming it.
Examples in context
- その作品は称賛を浴びた。Sono sakuhin wa shousan o abita.The work received great accolade.
- 彼女の努力は称賛に値する。Kanojo no doryoku wa shousan ni ataisuru.Her efforts deserve accolade.
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are talking about a colleague's success.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さん、佐藤さんの受賞したニュース見た？Ren-san, Satō-san no jujū shita nyūsu mita?Ren, did you see the news about Sato's award?
- 蓮 Renうん、彼にふさわしい称賛だと思うよ。Un, kare ni fusawashii shōsan da to omou yo.Yeah, I think it's a well-deserved accolade for him.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。ずっと頑張っていたもんね。Hontō ni. Zutto ganbatte ita mon ne.Truly. He has been working hard for a long time.
- 蓮 Ren明日、みんなでお祝いしよう。Ashita, minna de oiwai shiyō.Let's all celebrate tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 称賛, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
