口碑

• Reading: こうひ
• Romaji: kōhi
• Kanji breakdown: 口 (ko/kuchi) — mouth; 碑 (hi) — stone monument, inscription
• Pronunciation: /koː.çi/

Meaning

Oral tradition; popular legend; lore passed down by word of mouth. A story or belief transmitted across generations through speech rather than writing.

A formal noun describing knowledge, legend, or custom preserved through spoken transmission rather than written record. In historical and folklore studies, 口碑 is an important source of information about communities that lacked written records. It stands in contrast to 文献 (written sources), and its study is central to oral history and ethnography.

Examples

1. その伝説は文字に残らず、口碑として地域の人々に長く伝わってきた。 That legend was never committed to writing and has been passed down among the local people as oral tradition.
2. 口碑によれば、この山には昔から霊力を持つ神が宿るとされてきた。 According to oral tradition, a deity with spiritual power has dwelt in this mountain since ancient times.
3. 地域の口碑を丹念に収集することで、文献に現れない歴史の断片が見えてくる。 By carefully collecting local oral traditions, fragments of history not found in written records come to light.

Usage Guide

Context: folklore, oral history, ethnography, regional culture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 口 (ko/kuchi, mouth) and 碑 (hi, stone monument/inscription). The combination is poetic: even without a physical stone monument, the mouth itself becomes the medium that preserves and transmits memory across time.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Academic