号

• Reading: ごう
• Romaji: gō
• Kanji breakdown: 号 (go) — title, name, designation
• Pronunciation: /ɡoː/

Meaning

Pen name; art name; pseudonym. Also: a title, designation, or issue number.

A noun with several related senses. In literary and artistic contexts, 号 refers to a pseudonym voluntarily chosen by an artist, writer, or monk — distinct from a 筆名 (hitsuimei, pen name used for publication) in that 号 was traditionally a self-selected name reflecting personal ideals or aesthetic identity. Famous examples include 松尾芭蕉 (from 芭蕉庵, his hut) and 夏目漱石 (from a Chinese proverb). Also used for serial issue numbers (第三号 = issue three).

Examples

1. 松尾芭蕉という号は、庭に植えた芭蕉の木に由来すると伝えられている。 The pen name Matsuo Basho is said to derive from a banana plant he grew in his garden.
2. この作家は号として独自の筆名を名乗り、本名はほとんど公にしなかった。 This author adopted a unique pen name as his pseudonym and rarely made his real name public.
3. 夏目漱石という号は、石に漱ぎ流れに枕するという故事に基づいている。 The pen name Natsume Soseki is based on the classical allusion of gargling with stones and pillowing on a stream.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, art history, biography, traditional culture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Classical Chinese 號 (hào), meaning a name, title, or designation. In Japan it was adopted to describe the self-chosen literary or artistic names favoured by poets, monks, and painters, especially from the Heian period onward.

Cultural Context

Era: Heian–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Artists and scholars