象徴主義

• Reading: しょうちょうしゅぎ
• Romaji: shōchō shugi
• Kanji breakdown: 象徴 (shōchō) — symbol; 主義 (shugi) — -ism, doctrine
• Pronunciation: /ɕoː.tɕoː.ɕɯ.ɡi/

Meaning

Symbolism; the literary and artistic movement that privileges suggestion and symbol over direct depiction.

A Japanese translation of French 'symbolisme,' the movement originating in France in the 1880s that rejected naturalism in favour of indirect, evocative expression through symbols and imagery. It deeply influenced Meiji and Taishō Japanese poetry, with figures such as Ueda Bin and Kitahara Hakushū drawing on symbolist poetics.

Examples

1. 象徴主義の詩人たちは、直接的な描写よりも暗示と象徴を重んじた。 Symbolist poets valued suggestion and symbol over direct description.
2. フランスの象徴主義は、明治期の日本の詩壇に深い影響を及ぼした。 French symbolism exerted a profound influence on the poetry world of Meiji-era Japan.
3. 詩の授業で象徴主義について学び、言語の可能性の広さに目が開かれた。 Studying symbolism in poetry class opened my eyes to the vast possibilities of language.

Usage Guide

Context: literary criticism, art history, poetry

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A Japanese translation compound: 象徴 (shōchō, symbol) + 主義 (shugi, -ism/doctrine). The movement began in France with Baudelaire, Verlaine, and Mallarmé, and reached Japan through Ueda Bin's landmark 1905 anthology 海潮音, which introduced symbolist verse to Japanese readers.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated