骨董品
kottōhin[ko̞t̚to̞ːçĩɴ]
In Japanese, the English phrase "antique" (referring to an old piece) is expressed as 骨董品 (kottōhin). If unsure, use 骨董品. Wiktionary also lists 骨董 (kottō).
Meaning: old piece (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 骨董品 | kottōhin | [ko̞t̚to̞ːçĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 骨董 | kottō | [ko̞t̚to̞ː] (narrow) |
The term is used to describe old pieces or objects. If you want to say "antique shop", you can append 屋 (ya), which means "shop" or "dealer", to the word 骨董 to form 骨董品屋. Additionally, the term レトロ is used to describe vintage or antique items with a nostalgic appeal.
Which one should you use?
While 骨董品 refers to the physical objects themselves, 骨董 is often used more broadly to refer to the trade or the general category of antique collecting.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kottōhin
Did you know?
- The characters in 骨董 literally translate to 'bone' and 'copper'. Historically, these were two of the most prized materials for early collectors of curiosities.
- In Japan, the culture of 骨董 is closely tied to the concept of 'wabi-sabi', which finds beauty in the imperfections and signs of wear on an old object.
- If you see a shop called a 骨董品屋, you might find much older, more precious items than a shop using the word アンティーク (antīku).
Examples in context
- この時計は骨董屋さんで買ったんだ。I bought this watch at an antique store.This sentence shows how to use 骨董 in the context of where a watch was purchased.Tatoeba #11455516 by bunbuku, translation #6243685 by CK
- これは立派な骨董品ですね。Kore wa rippa na kottoohin desu ne.This is a fine antique, isn't it?
- 彼は骨董品を集めるのが趣味です。Kare wa kottoohin o atsumeru no ga shumi desu.His hobby is collecting antiques.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are visiting an antique shop.
- 結衣 Yuiこの骨董品、すごく綺麗だよ。Kono kottoohin, sugoku kirei da yo.This antique is very beautiful.
- 健太 Kenta本当に、価値がありそうだね。Hontoo ni, kachi ga arisoo da ne.Truly, it looks like it has value.
- 結衣 Yui健太さんは、これが好き？Kenta-san wa, kore ga suki?Kenta, do you like this?
- 健太 Kentaうん、とても気に入ったよ。Un, totemo ki ni itta yo.Yes, I really like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “antique” translations and entries 骨董品, 骨董, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
