全集

• Reading: ぜんしゅう
• Romaji: zenshuu
• Kanji breakdown: 全 (zen) — complete, entire; 集 (shū) — collection, gathering
• Pronunciation: /ze.ɴ.ɕɯː/

Meaning

Complete works; collected works. A comprehensive multi-volume edition containing all or most of an author's or artist's output.

A publishing noun for multi-volume collections of a writer, philosopher, composer, or artist. 全集 implies completeness — ideally encompassing everything the subject produced, including essays, letters, and juvenilia. It often runs to dozens of volumes and is associated with canonical figures (e.g., 漱石全集, 芥川全集). It contrasts with 選集 (senshū — selected works) and 文庫 (bunko — inexpensive paperback editions).

Examples

1. 夏目漱石全集を揃えるのが長年の夢だった。 Collecting the complete works of Natsume Soseki had been a long-held dream of mine.
2. この全集には著者の未発表の草稿も収録されている。 This collected works edition includes the author's previously unpublished drafts.
3. 全集を通読することで、作家の思想の変遷がよく分かる。 By reading through the complete works, you can clearly trace the evolution of the writer's thought.

Usage Guide

Context: publishing, literature, libraries

Tone: informational

Origin & History

From 全 (zen — complete, entire) and 集 (shū — collection, gathering). A transparent compound meaning 'a complete collection,' standard in East Asian publishing since the modern era.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji period onward

Generation: Scholars, book enthusiasts

Social background: Educated