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
Pitch accent
Top 10000
Used in vocabulary (279 in total)
mere; only; just; slight
truth; reality; proper; right; genuine; authentic
truth; reality
genuine article; real thing; real deal
indeed; really; truly; very much
regular matches in an official tournament
in truth; in actuality; at heart; the truth; the real story
picture book
seriousness; earnestness; truth; sanctity
only extant copy; only existing copy
originally; primarily; essentially; intrinsically; proper; rightful
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
inner citadel; core; center; centre
five (long cylindrical things)
home (of something); place famous for its ...; place of origin; birthplace; morning session; last session in the morning
mainland; the country proper; native country; country where one was born; pure land; Buddha realm
main course (of a formal meal); extremely high-grade Japanese meal served all at once (on a table with legs)
one's hometown
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
textbook; manual
true meaning; underlying principle
ministry proper; home office; head office; this ministry; this department
this land; our country; Imperial Court
main course (of a river); mainstream; main current (e.g. of thought)
favorite (to win); favourite; likely winner; one's heart's desire; first choice
head office; main office; main shrine; this company; this shrine
this document; this letter; this writing
substance; real form; main part; main unit; this machine; this appliance; object of worship (at a shrine, temple, etc.)
sample; specimen; pattern; model; example
main temple building; nave
this (current) year
true feelings; real intention; one's heart; one's right mind; one's senses; one's conscience
(arch.) true form of a buddha; land of origin
performance; take; game; season; penetrative vaginal sex (with a prostitute); unsimulated sex (in an adult movie)
troop headquarters; stronghold; inn designated for use by a daimyo (Edo period)
example; specimen; sample
instinct
copybook; model; pattern
main thread (of a story)
book of traditional Japanese music
headquarters; head office; main office
funds; capital
main school; principal school; this school; our school
head office; main office; main store; this store; our store
secondhand book
head temple; this temple
excerpt; abridgment; abridgement; book of selections
treasured book; secret book; pornographic book
reciter's book; complete set of books
basics; fundamentals; basis; foundation
essence; true nature; substance; reality
principal occupation; main job; professional; an expert; I (of a government official, etc.); me
to take seriously; to believe in; to fall for
Amida Buddha's original vow; long-cherished desire
characteristic quality; special character; one's function; one's duty; fief; inherited estate
standard; basis; principle
variant edition (of a book); alternative version; different manuscript; strange book; rare book; unique book
principal residence
text; script; this book
text (of a book, document, etc.); body (of a letter); this passage; this sentence
one's legal wife
origin; root; cause; principle
one's registered domicile (as recorded in the family register); one's legal domicile (as opposed to where one lives)
this newspaper
real or original name
origin; main branch of family
Lyophyllum shimeji (species of edible mushroom)
the person in question; the person themselves; said person
real intention; motive; true opinion; what one really thinks
main question; real issue at hand
four (long cylindrical things)
text (of a book, document, etc.); body (of a letter); this passage; this sentence
principal occupation; core business
this matter; this case
thin dōjinshi, usually featuring adult content
script reading; scenario reading; avid reader; bookworm; reading a book; reading books
performance; take; game; season; actual sexual intercourse (i.e. not simulated); penetration
this university; this educational establishment
base; stronghold; main fort; home base; home plate
book bound in Japanese style
picture copybook
Chinese classic without reading aids; book without reading aids
state (or period) of life
script; libretto; scenario
script; screenplay; scenario
head house (family); birthplace; originator
bookstore; bookshop; publisher; main building
example; role model
original text; source book; draft
seven (long cylindrical things)
real culprit
main line; trunk line
plenary session; regular session
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)
bell signalling that work, class, etc. has formally begun
Hon'inbō; Honinbo; grand master of the game of go
type of flat knot used in nets
books for loan
real sword (as opposed to a wooden practice sword)
this month
source book
head temple (of a branch temple); head priest's temple quarters
this product; this article
books related to the calendar; the calendar; the almanac
pure gold; capital stock; liquid gold (used for applying gold to ceramics, etc.)
book written entirely in kana
unbound book (damp from the press); printed sheets
top-quality dried bonito
(arch.) kabuki script; illustrated kabuki script
two (long cylindrical things)
real name
true character; real nature
true character; real nature
four (long cylindrical things)
head house (family); birthplace; originator
main body (of an army); main force; these troops
essential; substantial; substantive; intrinsic
pornographic photo book; erotic photo book; pornographic comic book; hentai comic book
real intention; true motive; true will; original intention; original purpose; original hope
general manager; director-general
eight (long cylindrical things)
one's duty; one's part
main building
one's normal condition; one's usual state; keynote (esp. shamisen); proper key
central government office; head office; this office
main office; this office
number of long thin objects (movies, TV programs, baseball games, etc.) (programmes)
this piece; this work
official post; regular post; principal post (as opposed to secondary post); I (of someone in government or the civil service)
principal residence
original method or procedure; serious; orthodox; classical
this (battle)ship; aforementioned ship
Honshū (largest of the four main islands of Japan); Honshu
final selection
original text; source book; draft
main island; this island
book lover; lover of books; bibliophilism; love of books
to publish a book; to put out a book
book making (binding, publishing)
one's principal residence; main home
real culprit
highway; main road; the right road; internal medicine (in Chinese medical practice)
strenuous effort; earnestness; seriousness
formal; orthodox; in earnest
this chapter
current year (fiscal, academic, etc.)
folding book; folded sections of a book
comic book
to open a book
var. of traditional shakuhachi music
this institution; the main institution
main office
some book; book about that subject; books
police headquarters; main office; this office
one's library
this chapter; this passage; this section
main street; boulevard
this magazine
tree; woody plant
this device; this plane
natural; inborn; inherent; innate
contract (entered into on the basis of a promise or previous agreement); formal agreement; contract at hand
manuscript
this city
performance; take; game; season; actual sexual intercourse (i.e. not simulated); penetration
main discourse; this subject; body (of a speech)
final examination
true form of a buddha
permanent employment; being hired as a regular employee; non-trial appointment
work on paper; text, image or calligraphy on paper
essence and fringe; beginning and ending; root and branch; means and end
real leather
main stage; public place
book of registration; text of a play
this manuscript
main festival; main day of a festival
bookends
photocopy book; staplebound book
Pacific bluefin tuna (edible fish, Thunnus orientalis)
Pacific bluefin tuna (edible fish, Thunnus orientalis)
financial capital
translated book
principles underpinning an agriculturally based economy
head temple; this temple
this plan
money for books
one's real character
original selection
attractively bound book
main shock (of an earthquake)
formal meeting (committee, etc.); session; this (the aforementioned, our) association (society, organisation)
innateness; innate feature (or character, etc.)
nub; core of the issue
rules; original rules
miniature book
final stitching
wasabi (Wasabia japonica)
formal funeral
foundation; basic principles
duplicate; copy
herbaceous plant; herb
pure brew (e.g. sake, soy sauce)
this prefecture
ace up one's sleeve; trump card; basic melody (esp. on koto and shamisen); proper move (in go, shogi, etc.); appropriate move; expert
(true) mirin; mirin containing alcohol
permanent construction
this thesis; this article; the article under consideration
main account (on social media, etc.); principal account; real-name account
true leaf; foliage leaf
sutra book
official sumo tournament (six per year)
willow gudgeon (species of fish, Gnathopogon caerulescens)
manifestation theory (holding that Shinto gods are manifestations of buddhas)
main gate; front gate; latter half of the Lotus Sutra, which describes the nature of the Buddha
diversionary tactics; concealing one's true motives until the last moment
critical year in one's life; inauspicious year
hardcover book; hardback book
books from China
main, primary system
sake brewed without addition of saccharides and no more than 120 litres of seed alcohol per tonne
main pipe
annotated textbook
to compile a book
worthless book; meritless book
(actual) screening (as opposed to prescreening)
basic or regular salary
square knot
this drawing
Chinese classic without reading aids; book without reading aids
head and branch offices
primary biography; standard biography
property right to an estate; title
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)
genuine kaya (as opposed to imitation kaya)
this column
spurious book; forgery
this member (of an assembly)
similar books
measure of length corresponding to 6 shaku (approx. 1.82 meters)
silk velvet
main budget
wood-block book
main depository
this email
reference koyomi; main almanac
discrete kyogen (performed between two noh plays)
family crest register
this symptom
booklet; paper-bound book; brochure
original; original text; authenticated facsimile; authenticated copy
first prize in a private lottery
book of Western origin
natural (sign)
inhabitants of main island
main verb
Okinawan habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis)
chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus)
primary document
functioning cuff buttons on a jacket (i.e. those that can be buttoned and unbuttoned); surgeon's cuffs
Rhododendron metternichii
present invention
fragmentary remains of a large set of writings; the odd volume; a few pages
quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria); quahaug; hard clam; hard-shell clam; round clam; littleneck
gracile shrew mole (Uropsilus gracilis)
mainlander; person from the mainland
full registration (e.g. real estate transaction); non-provisional registration
town gas; piped gas; reticulated gas
hardcover book; hardback book
this kindergarten; this nursery; this garden; this park; this zoo
Examples (200 in total)
Open the book.
It is a book.
This is a book.