代表作

• Reading: だいひょうさく
• Romaji: daihyōsaku
• Kanji breakdown: 代 (dai/yo) — representative, substitute; 表 (hyō/omote) — surface, represent; 作 (saku/tsukuru) — work, creation
• Pronunciation: /da.i.çoː.sa.kɯ/

Meaning

Representative work; magnum opus; the work most associated with or considered the finest by a given artist or author.

Refers to the single work — or sometimes a small group of works — that best exemplifies a creator's artistry or that they are most remembered for. Not always the same as the creator's personal favourite; it is determined by critical or popular consensus. Commonly used in literary and art criticism, encyclopaedia entries, and educational contexts.

Examples

1. 夏目漱石の代表作として坊っちゃんを挙げる人は多い。 Many people cite Botchan as Natsume Soseki's representative work.
2. この画家の代表作は国立美術館に永久収蔵されている。 This painter's magnum opus is permanently housed in the national art museum.
3. 彼女にとって代表作と呼べる一作がまだ生まれていないと評論家は指摘する。 Critics point out that a work she can truly call her magnum opus has yet to emerge.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, art, music, film, criticism

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 代表 (to represent) and 作 (work). 代表 itself derives from 代 (to substitute, stand for) and 表 (to surface, manifest), conveying the idea of the work that stands in for all of an artist's output.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal