Chinese

Noun

文書

1. document
2. official correspondence
3. (literary) secretary
4. (literary) written language; writing; script
5. (literary) books; works

Derived terms

Japanese

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese compound 文書 ‎(*miən *shiu). Compare modern Chinese 文書 ‎(wénshū).

The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing. Now the most common reading for this term.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi: Kan'on
• (Tokyo) ぶ​んしょ [búꜜǹshò] (Atamadaka - [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [bɯ̃ᵝnɕo̞]

Noun

文書 ‎(hiragana ぶんしょ, romaji bunsho)

1. a document, a written record

   文書 (ぶんしょ)でお問 (と)い合 (あ)わせください。

   Bunsho de otoiawase kudasai.

   Please contact us in writing.

   物語 (ものがたり)を丸 (まる)ごと文書 (ぶんしょ)に書 (か)き留 (と)めた。

   Monogatari o marugoto bunsho ni kakitometa.

   She wrote down the whole story. / She got the whole story down on paper.

2. a letter, an epistle

   文書 (ぶんしょ)を頻繁 (ひんぱん)に交 (か)わしていた。

   Bunsho o hinpan ni kawashite ita.

   They frequently exchanged letters.

Synonyms

• (writing): 文章
• (letter, epistle): 手紙

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese compound 文書 ‎(*miən *shiu), with rendaku for the 書 character. The sho changes to jo as an instance of rendaku (連濁). Compare modern Chinese 文書 ‎(wénshū).

The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing. Less common reading in modern Japanese.

Pronunciation

• On'yomi: Goon
• (Tokyo) も​んじょ [móꜜǹjò] (Atamadaka - [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [mõ̞nd͡ʑo̞]

Noun

文書 ‎(hiragana もんじょ, romaji monjo)

1. a document
2. (in palaeography) a written text between two parties

Derived terms

• 古文書 (こもんじょ, ​komonjo): an ancient document

Etymology 3

Archaic alteration of monjo above.

Pronunciation

• Irregular
• IPA^(key): [mõ̞nzo̞]

Noun

文書 ‎(hiragana もんぞ, romaji monzo)

1. (archaic) a document
2. (archaic) (in palaeography) a written text between two parties

Etymology 4

Compound of 文 ‎(fumi, “writing; a letter, an epistle”) +‎ 書 ‎(kaki, “writing”, the 連用形 ‎(ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 書く kaku, “to write”).^[2]The kaki changes to gaki as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• Kun'yomi
• IPA^(key): [ɸɯᵝmiŋa̠ki]

Noun

文書 ‎(hiragana ふみがき, romaji fumigaki)

1. (archaic) the act of writing of a letter or correspondence
2. (archaic) the writing in a letter or correspondence, especially the style or appearance
   • c. 1001–1014, Genji Monogatari (text here):

     古代なる御文書きなれど

     こだいなるおおむふみがきなれど

     Kodai naru ōmu-fumigaki naredo

     The writing is old-fashioned, but...

References

1. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
2. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan