Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 書くこと | kaku koto | |
| ライティング | raitingu | |
| 執筆 | shippitsu | [ɕi̥p̚ʲpʲit͡sɨ] (narrow) |
The term 書くこと is the most basic and common way to describe the act of writing. When you want to be more specific, for example, if you are composing a letter, you would use the phrase 手紙を書く. For a more fluid or expressive style, you might use the expression ペンを走らせる, which literally means 'to make the pen run'.
Which one should you use?
Use 書くこと for the general act of writing. In contrast, ライティング is often used in educational or technical contexts, such as referring to writing skills. Use 執筆 when referring to the professional act of writing books, articles or formal compositions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ライティング is a loanword typically used in language learning or technical settings. 執筆 is a formal term used for professional authorship. For even more formal contexts involving transcription or copying a text, one might use 書写する.
How do you pronounce it?
kaku koto
Did you know?
- The loanword ライティング is a homophone in Japanese, meaning it can refer to either 'writing' or 'lighting'. The meaning is determined by the context of the conversation.
- While 執筆 refers to professional writing, it literally contains the characters for 'holding' and 'brush', reflecting the historical way authors physically wrote their works.
- There is a distinct cultural value placed on 書写 (transcription), where copying sutras by hand is practiced as a way to gain merit or find peace.
Examples in context
- 私は書くことに飽きた。I'm tired of writing.This sentence shows how to express being tired of the act of writing using 書くこと.Tatoeba #5845199 by joejames, translation #1567410 by CK
- 話すことと書くことは別物だ。Speaking and writing are different.This sentence highlights that speaking and writing are different activities using 書くこと.Tatoeba #77168 by arnab, translation #2663822 by sugoida
- 私の趣味は物語を書くことなの。My hobby is writing stories.This sentence describes a hobby involving the act of writing stories using 書くこと.Tatoeba #11276080 by bunbuku, translation #251126 by CK
- 本を書くWrite a book
- 文章を書写するTo transcribe a document
- 宿題に書き込むWrite (something) in your homework
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren is asking Yui about her college coursework.
- 蓮 Renレポートを書くことは大変ですか？Repōto o kaku koto wa taihen desu ka?Is writing reports difficult?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、書くことがとても大変です。Hai, kaku koto ga totemo taihen desu.Yes, the writing is very difficult.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さんは毎日頑張っていますね。Yui-san wa mainichi ganbatte imasu ne.You are working hard every day, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとうございます、蓮さん。Arigatō gozaimasu, Ren-san.Thank you, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “writing” translations and entries ライティング, 執筆, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ライティング, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
