読破

• Reading: どくは
• Romaji: dokuha
• Kanji breakdown: 読 (doku) — read; 破 (ha) — break through, conquer
• Pronunciation: /do.ku.ha/

Meaning

Reading a long or difficult book all the way through to the end; completing a challenging body of text.

A suru noun (読破する) that implies effort and perseverance. The 破 (break through) conveys the sense of conquering something substantial. It is typically used for long, difficult, or voluminous works — one does not 読破 a short picture book. 全集を読破する (to read through a complete collected works) or 難書を読破する are typical collocations that underscore the achievement involved.

Examples

1. 学生時代に夏目漱石の全集を読破しようと試みたが、途中で断念した。 As a student, I attempted to read through the complete works of Natsume Soseki, but gave up halfway.
2. 難解と評判の哲学書をようやく読破し、深い達成感を覚えた。 After finally reading through the philosophy book notorious for its difficulty, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
3. 一週間で三冊読破するのは彼女にとって珍しいことではない。 Reading through three books in a week is nothing unusual for her.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, self-improvement, academia, reading culture

Tone: achievement-oriented

Origin & History

From 読 (read) and 破 (break through, overcome). The character 破 suggests breaking through a barrier — emphasising completion of something formidable rather than leisurely reading.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated