本
hon[mo̞to̞]
The English word "book" is translated into Japanese as 本 (hon). If unsure, use 本. Wiktionary also lists 書籍 (shoseki) and ブック (bukku).
Meaning: collection of sheets of paper bound together containing printed or written material (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 本 | hon | [mo̞to̞] (narrow) [hõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 書籍 | shoseki | [ɕo̞se̞kʲi] (narrow) [ɕo̞ʑa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| ブック | bukku | [bɯ̟k̚kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term refers to a collection of sheets of paper bound together containing printed or written material.
Which one should you use?
本 is the standard, neutral and everyday word for a book. 書籍 is a more formal or technical term used in contexts such as business, libraries or official statistics to refer to books or publications. ブック is a katakana loanword from English that is often used in specific branding or compound words, such as in 電子ブック (e-book) or ブッククラブ (book club).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
hon
Did you know?
- The counter 本 (hon) is also the counter used for long, cylindrical objects like bottles, pens, or even bananas. While it means 'book' as a noun, it acts as a unit of measurement for things that are long and thin.
- Traditional Japanese books were often bound in a style called 和装本, which used soft covers and a unique stitching method that differs completely from Western hardback binding.
- In Japanese, the word 本 is a homophone for many other words, including 'origin', 'root', or 'main'. Depending on the kanji used, the same sound could refer to the foundation of a tree rather than a reading book.
Examples in context
- 本を開くな。Don't open your book.This sentence is useful for practicing a negative command involving 本.Tatoeba #81627 by bunbuku, translation #453893 by saasmath
- 本を下さい。I'd like a book.This sentence is useful for practicing a polite request involving 本.Tatoeba #81629 by bunbuku, translation #322086 by CM
- これ誰の本？Whose book is this?This sentence is useful for practicing a question about ownership involving 本.Tatoeba #217562 by tommy_san, translation #54871 by CK
- 彼は図書館で本を読んでいます。He is reading a book at the library.
- 私は書籍を探しています。I am looking for a book.
- この本は面白いよ！This book is interesting!
- あのカタログに素敵な本が載っていましたよ！That catalog had some wonderful books in it!
- 三冊Three books
- 1290 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are at a bookstore.
- 美咲 Misakiこの本、面白いよ。Kono hon, omoshiroi yo.This book is interesting.
- 健太 Kenta本当？読んでみたい。Honto? Yonde mitai.Really? I want to try reading it.
- 美咲 Misaki健太君も気に入ると思うよ。Kenta-kun mo ki ni iru to omou yo.I think you will like it too, Kenta.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、買っておこうかな。Jaa, katte okou kana.Well, maybe I'll buy it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “book” translations and entries 本, 書籍, ブック, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
