口頭

• 読み: こうとう
• ローマ字: koutou
• 漢字の分解: 口 (kou) — mouth; 頭 (tou) — head, beginning
• 発音: /ko.ɯ.to.ɯ/

意味

Oral; verbal; spoken. Communication delivered by speech rather than in writing.

A no-adjective and noun referring to communication made through speech as opposed to written form. Common collocations include 口頭で伝える (to convey orally), 口頭試問 (oral examination), 口頭発表 (oral presentation), and 口頭注意 (verbal warning). Frequently used in formal, academic, and legal contexts to distinguish spoken from written procedures.

例文

1. 契約の詳細は口頭ではなく書面で確認してください。
2. 大学院の試験には口頭試問が含まれている。
3. 上司から口頭で注意を受けた。

使い方ガイド

場面: business, law, academia, official procedures

トーン: official

起源と歴史

From Sino-Japanese 口 (kou, mouth) + 頭 (tou, head/beginning). Literally 'from the mouth,' directly indicating speech-based communication. 頭 here functions as a suffix indicating the source or starting point.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Professional