愛読

• Reading: あいどく
• Romaji: aidoku
• Kanji breakdown: 愛 (ai) — love, affection | 読 (doku) — to read
• Pronunciation: /a.i.do.kɯ/

Meaning

Favourite reading; reading with great pleasure. The act of reading something one loves, often repeatedly.

A noun and suru-verb (愛読する) expressing devoted, pleasurable reading. Commonly appears in compounds: 愛読書 (a favourite book) and 愛読者 (a devoted reader). It implies not merely reading for information but savouring the text — re-reading, annotating, or recommending it to others. Frequently used in biographical essays and literary introductions.

Examples

1. 彼は夏目漱石の作品を愛読し、何度も繰り返し読んでいた。 He was devoted to reading the works of Natsume Sōseki, returning to them again and again.
2. 彼女の愛読書は、子供の頃から変わらず同じ詩集だという。 Her favourite book, she says, has remained the same collection of poetry since childhood.
3. そのエッセイ集は多くの読書家に愛読され、長く版を重ねた。 That collection of essays was beloved by many readers and went through numerous printings over the years.

Usage Guide

Context: literary discussion, book reviews, biographies, memoir writing

Tone: warm

Origin & History

Compound of 愛 (ai) meaning 'love, affection' and 読 (doku) meaning 'to read'. The pairing suggests reading motivated by genuine fondness, in contrast to obligatory or professional reading.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated