Word Detail

The Japanese word 文房具 means "stationery" or "writing materials." It refers to a variety of items used for writing, drawing, and related activities. This includes items like pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, rulers, and more. Essentially, it encompasses all the tools you would typically find in a school supply store or office supply store.

⚫︎新しい文房具を買いました。 Translation: I bought new stationery. ⚫︎学校で必要な文房具をリストアップしてください。 Translation: Please list the stationery needed for school. ⚫︎この文房具店は品揃えが豊富です。 Translation: This stationery store has a wide selection.

You can use 文房具 in various contexts, such as: ⚫︎ When talking about what you need for school or work. ⚫︎ When shopping for supplies. ⚫︎ When organizing your desk or workspace. ⚫︎ When discussing writing and drawing activities.

⚫︎The word 文房具 is typically written with the kanji 文 (bun - literature, writing), 房 (bō - room, storehouse), and 具 (gu - tool, utensil). ⚫︎The reading is ぶんぼうぐ in hiragana. ⚫︎There is no other common way to write this word. ⚫︎The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard.

There aren't many direct synonyms for 文房具 as it's a specific category. However, you could sometimes use: ⚫︎事務用品 (jimuyōhin) - office supplies (if referring to work-related items). ⚫︎学用品 (gakuyōhin) - school supplies (if referring to school-related items).

There aren't any direct antonyms because 文房具 is a broad category.

宿題をするために、必要な文房具を机の上に並べました。 ・Translation: I put the necessary stationery on my desk to do my homework. ・Explanation: This sentence describes preparing writing materials to study.

彼女は新しいペンとノートを文房具屋さんで買いました。 ・Translation: She bought a new pen and notebook at the stationery store. ・Explanation: This sentence describes shopping for stationery at a specific shop.

The word 文房具 is a compound word. 文 comes from 文章 (bunshō) meaning "writing" or "composition". 房 in this context means a place where things are stored or kept (like a room or storehouse). And finally, 具 means "tools" or "utensils". So, 文房具 refers to tools and things related to writing and stored in places.