逸話

• Reading: いつわ
• Romaji: itsuwa
• Kanji breakdown: 逸 (itsu) — to escape, deviate | 話 (wa) — story, talk
• Pronunciation: /i.tsɯ.wa/

Meaning

Anecdote; episode; memorable story. A short, interesting account of an incident, usually concerning a well-known person.

A noun for a brief narrative that illuminates character, illustrates a point, or entertains — essentially an anecdote. The 逸 character suggests something that has 'slipped away' from official records, implying the story is informal, personal, and unlikely to appear in formal histories. 逸話 are widely used in biographies, essays, and classroom teaching to make abstract ideas concrete and memorable.

Examples

1. その作家には奇人と呼ばれるほど多くの逸話が残っており、伝記にも事欠かない。 So many anecdotes about that author survive — enough to fill a biography — that he has become something of an eccentric legend.
2. 授業で紹介された歴史上の人物の逸話が、生徒たちの関心を引きつけた。 An anecdote about a historical figure introduced in class captured the pupils' imagination.
3. 彼の発明にまつわる逸話の中には、後世に作られたものも混じっているらしい。 Among the anecdotes surrounding his invention, some appear to have been fabricated by later generations.

Usage Guide

Context: biography, history, essays, journalism, education

Tone: engaging

Origin & History

Compound of 逸 (itsu) meaning 'to escape, to deviate from the norm, to excel' and 話 (wa) meaning 'story, talk'. The image is of a tale that has 'escaped' official documentation — surviving in oral tradition or private correspondence.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal