消息

• 読み: しょうそく
• ローマ字: shousoku
• 漢字の分解: 消 (shou) — extinguish, disappear; 息 (soku) — breath, rest
• 発音: /ɕoː.so.kɯ/

意味

News (from someone); letter; contact. Information about someone's current situation or whereabouts.

A noun referring to news or information about a person, particularly their well-being or current circumstances. Often used when discussing someone who has been out of contact: 消息が途絶える (to lose contact), 消息を絶つ (to disappear/cut off contact), 消息不明 (whereabouts unknown). Has a somewhat literary or formal tone. Different from ニュース (news about events) — 消息 specifically concerns the personal situation of an individual.

例文

1. 行方不明者の消息は今も分かっていない。
2. 海外に移住した友人の消息が気になる。
3. 彼は突然消息を絶ち、誰にも連絡しなくなった。

使い方ガイド

場面: news, literature, personal correspondence

トーン: serious

起源と歴史

From Sino-Japanese: 消 (shou, extinguish/disappear) + 息 (soku, breath/rest). Originally meant 'the appearing and disappearing of things' — the ebb and flow of life — which evolved to mean tidings or news about someone's condition.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Educated