ほん
Meanings
Noun
1. book; volume; script
Prefix
2. this; present
3. main; head
4. real; regular
Counter
Suffix
5. counter for long cylindrical things; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls
sometimes pronounced ぼん or ぽん
Kanji used
book
Pitch accent
Top 400
Used in vocabulary (302 in total)
truth; reality; proper; right; genuine; authentic
seriousness; earnestness; truth; sanctity
the person in question; the person themselves; said person
genuine article; real thing; real deal
originally; primarily; essentially; intrinsically; proper; rightful
basics; fundamentals; basis; foundation
two (long cylindrical things)
headquarters; head office; main office
real intention; motive; true opinion; what one really thinks
true feelings; real intention; one's heart; one's right mind; one's senses; one's conscience
substance; real form; main part; main unit; this machine; this appliance; object of worship (at a shrine, temple, etc.)
performance; take; game; season; penetrative vaginal sex (with a prostitute); unsimulated sex (in an adult movie)
essence; true nature; substance; reality
indeed; really; truly; very much
picture book
main question; real issue at hand
script; libretto; scenario
true character; real nature
true character; real nature
favorite (to win); favourite; likely winner; one's heart's desire; first choice
troop headquarters; stronghold; inn designated for use by a daimyo (Edo period)
script; screenplay; scenario
head house (family); birthplace; originator
head house (family); birthplace; originator
bookstore; bookshop; publisher; main building
main body (of an army); main force; these troops
two (long cylindrical things)
head office; main office; main shrine; this company; this shrine
four (long cylindrical things)
four (long cylindrical things)
funds; capital
essential; substantial; substantive; intrinsic
mainland; the country proper; native country; country where one was born; pure land; Buddha realm
official size of a tatami mat for measuring room size (esp. a Kyoto-size tatami mat); basic rhythm (in traditional Japanese music); (arch.) room (in a brothel) of a prostitute of the highest rank
sample; specimen; pattern; model; example
principal occupation; main job; professional; an expert; I (of a government official, etc.); me
pornographic photo book; erotic photo book; pornographic comic book; hentai comic book
five (long cylindrical things)
real intention; true motive; true will; original intention; original purpose; original hope
text; script; this book
one's hometown
text (of a book, document, etc.); body (of a letter); this passage; this sentence
text (of a book, document, etc.); body (of a letter); this passage; this sentence
general manager; director-general
in truth; in actuality; at heart; the truth; the real story
example; role model
to take seriously; to believe in; to fall for
copybook; model; pattern
eight (long cylindrical things)
principal occupation; core business
one's duty; one's part
example; specimen; sample
main building
inner citadel; core; center; centre
main temple building; nave
home (of something); place famous for its ...; place of origin; birthplace; morning session; last session in the morning
main school; principal school; this school; our school
one's normal condition; one's usual state; keynote (esp. shamisen); proper key
head office; main office; main store; this store; our store
Amida Buddha's original vow; long-cherished desire
central government office; head office; this office
main office; this office
four (long cylindrical things)
four (long cylindrical things)
number of long thin objects (movies, TV programs, baseball games, etc.) (programmes)
this piece; this work
textbook; manual
official post; regular post; principal post (as opposed to secondary post); I (of someone in government or the civil service)
original method or procedure; serious; orthodox; classical
principal residence
characteristic quality; special character; one's function; one's duty; fief; inherited estate
this matter; this case
main thread (of a story)
this (battle)ship; aforementioned ship
final selection
Honshū (largest of the four main islands of Japan); Honshu
original text; source book; draft
original text; source book; draft
main island; this island
book lover; lover of books; bibliophilism; love of books
seven (long cylindrical things)
secondhand book; ancient book; antiquarian books
to publish a book; to put out a book
main course (of a river); mainstream; main current (e.g. of thought)
head temple; this temple
book making (binding, publishing)
thin dōjinshi, usually featuring adult content
standard; basis; principle
one's principal residence; main home
strenuous effort; earnestness; seriousness
one's legal wife
highway; main road; the right road; internal medicine (in Chinese medical practice)
mere; only; just; slight
this (current) year
formal; orthodox; in earnest
current year (fiscal, academic, etc.)
script reading; scenario reading; avid reader; bookworm; reading a book; reading books
folding book; folded sections of a book
true meaning; underlying principle
main line; trunk line
var. of traditional shakuhachi music
variant edition (of a book); alternative version; different manuscript; strange book; rare book; unique book
plenary session; regular session
this institution; the main institution
police headquarters; main office; this office
one's library
truth; reality
this chapter; this passage; this section
main street; boulevard
this magazine
tree; woody plant
regular course; this lesson
pulp fiction; dime novel; akahon; university entrance exam workbook (published by Kyōgakusha); storybook (with red cover, Edo period); Red Guide (Michelin)
essence and fringe; beginning and ending; root and branch; means and end
in truth; in actuality; at heart; the truth; the real story
bell signalling that work, class, etc. has formally begun
this device; this plane
this land; our country; Imperial Court
natural; inborn; inherent; innate
one's registered domicile (as recorded in the family register); one's legal domicile (as opposed to where one lives)
origin; root; cause; principle
Hon'inbō; Honinbo; grand master of the game of go
contract (entered into on the basis of a promise or previous agreement); formal agreement; contract at hand
this city
some book; book about that subject; books
main discourse; this subject; body (of a speech)
this university; this educational establishment
final examination
permanent employment; being hired as a regular employee; non-trial appointment
performance; take; game; season; actual sexual intercourse (i.e. not simulated); penetration
work on paper; text, image or calligraphy on paper
base; stronghold; main fort; home base; home plate
books for loan
(arch.) true form of a buddha; land of origin
(arch.) true form of a buddha; land of origin
some book; book about that subject; books
real leather
main stage; public place
book of registration; text of a play
this manuscript
ministry proper; home office; head office; this ministry; this department
type of flat knot used in nets
photocopy book; staplebound book
real sword (as opposed to a wooden practice sword)
excerpt; abridgment; abridgement; book of selections
main festival; main day of a festival
translated book
treasured book; secret book; pornographic book
origin; main branch of family
formal meeting (committee, etc.); session; this (the aforementioned, our) association (society, organisation)
principles underpinning an agriculturally based economy
head temple; this temple
this newspaper
book bound in Japanese style
money for books
real culprit
real or original name
one's real character
original selection
attractively bound book
Pacific bluefin tuna (edible fish, Thunnus orientalis)
main shock (of an earthquake)
duplicate; copy
nub; core of the issue
source book
rules; original rules
wasabi (Wasabia japonica)
miniature book
final stitching
pure gold; capital stock; liquid gold (used for applying gold to ceramics, etc.)
head temple (of a branch temple); head priest's temple quarters
formal funeral
innateness; innate feature (or character, etc.)
this product; this article
herbaceous plant; herb
this prefecture
pure brew (e.g. sake, soy sauce)
ace up one's sleeve; trump card; basic melody (esp. on koto and shamisen); proper move (in go, shogi, etc.); appropriate move; expert
main festival; main day of a festival
permanent construction
this thesis; this article; the article under consideration
performance; take; game; season; actual sexual intercourse (i.e. not simulated); penetration
book of traditional Japanese music
true leaf; foliage leaf
(true) mirin; mirin containing alcohol
main course (of a formal meal); extremely high-grade Japanese meal served all at once (on a table with legs)
books related to the calendar; the calendar; the almanac
official sumo tournament (six per year)
this document; this letter; this writing
duplicate; copy
picture copybook
main gate; front gate; latter half of the Lotus Sutra, which describes the nature of the Buddha
basic or regular salary
critical year in one's life; inauspicious year
diversionary tactics; concealing one's true motives until the last moment
property right to an estate; title
reciter's book; complete set of books
main account (on social media, etc.); principal account; real-name account
main, primary system
hardcover book; hardback book
books from China
sake brewed without addition of saccharides and no more than 120 litres of seed alcohol per tonne
folding book; folded sections of a book
kanji (as opposed to kana); original form of a Chinese character (as opposed to a simplified or abbreviated form); Chinese character from which another Chinese character derives
annotated textbook
books for loan
foundation; basic principles
main account (on social media, etc.); principal account; real-name account
worthless book; meritless book
to compile a book
(actual) screening (as opposed to prescreening)
thin dōjinshi, usually featuring adult content
this drawing
head and branch offices
real leather
(true) mirin; mirin containing alcohol
primary biography; standard biography
silk velvet
fully raising the curtain when an actor enters or exits (noh); curtain with a family crest
stock certificate; bond; this ticket; official ticket
genuine kaya (as opposed to imitation kaya)
Chinese classic without reading aids; book without reading aids
Chinese classic without reading aids; book without reading aids
this column
measure of length corresponding to 6 shaku (approx. 1.82 meters)
this member (of an assembly)
similar books
excerpt; abridgment; abridgement; book of selections
principal residence
discrete kyogen (performed between two noh plays)
wood-block book
family crest register
reference koyomi; main almanac
main depository
regular matches in an official tournament
only extant copy; only existing copy
Pacific bluefin tuna (edible fish, Thunnus orientalis)
wasabi (Wasabia japonica)
willow gudgeon (species of fish, Gnathopogon caerulescens)
Chinese classic without reading aids; book without reading aids
genuine kaya (as opposed to imitation kaya)
genuine kaya (as opposed to imitation kaya)
state (or period) of life
spurious book; forgery
(arch.) kabuki script; illustrated kabuki script
top-quality dried bonito
unbound book (damp from the press); printed sheets
unbound book (damp from the press); printed sheets
unbound book (damp from the press); printed sheets
book written entirely in kana
mainlander; person from the mainland
inhabitants of main island
town gas; piped gas; reticulated gas
hardcover book; hardback book
original; original text; authenticated facsimile; authenticated copy
present invention
this kindergarten; this nursery; this garden; this park; this zoo
booklet; paper-bound book; brochure
fragmentary remains of a large set of writings; the odd volume; a few pages
functioning cuff buttons on a jacket (i.e. those that can be buttoned and unbuttoned); surgeon's cuffs
book of Western origin
chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus)
first prize in a private lottery
full registration (e.g. real estate transaction); non-provisional registration
booklet; paper-bound book; brochure
quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria); quahaug; hard clam; hard-shell clam; round clam; littleneck
Pacific bluefin tuna (edible fish, Thunnus orientalis)
truth; reality
Lyophyllum shimeji (species of edible mushroom)
Lyophyllum shimeji (species of edible mushroom)
gracile shrew mole (Uropsilus gracilis)
Okinawan habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis)
Rhododendron metternichii
Okinawan habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis)
Examples (200 in total)
Open the book.
It is a book.
This is a book.