口述

• Reading: こうじゅつ
• Romaji: koujutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 口 (kou) — mouth, oral | 述 (jutsu) — to state, to narrate
• Pronunciation: /koː.dʑɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Oral statement; dictation; a verbal rather than written account or explanation.

A noun and suru-verb (口述する) combining 口 (mouth) and 述 (to state, to narrate). Refers to information conveyed through speech rather than writing, appearing in contexts such as 口述試験 (oral examination), 口述筆記 (dictation), and legal or medical oral testimony. The distinction from written records is its key defining feature.

Examples

1. 試験では筆記だけでなく、口述による説明も求められた。 The exam required not only written answers but also an oral explanation.
2. 高齢のため自分で書けない彼女は、口述で遺言を残した。 Because she was too elderly to write on her own, she dictated her last will and testament.
3. 口述試験は対面での表現力や論理的な思考が直接評価される場だ。 An oral examination is a setting where your in-person communication skills and logical thinking are evaluated directly.

Usage Guide

Context: examinations, law, medicine, academia

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 口 (kou) meaning 'mouth' and 述 (jutsu) meaning 'to state, to describe, to narrate'. Used since the Meiji era as a legal and educational term for oral rather than written record.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated