購読

• Reading: こうどく
• Romaji: koudoku
• Kanji breakdown: 購 (kou) — buy, purchase; 読 (doku) — read
• Pronunciation: /ko.ɯ.do.kɯ/

Meaning

Subscribing to; buying and reading. Taking a regular subscription to a newspaper, magazine, or publication.

A noun, suru-verb, and no-adjective describing the act of subscribing to and reading publications on a regular basis. Traditional usage centres on newspapers and magazines (新聞を購読する — to subscribe to a newspaper), but modern usage has expanded to include digital subscriptions and online content. Common patterns include 購読者 (subscriber), 購読料 (subscription fee), and 定期購読 (regular subscription).

Examples

1. 毎朝二紙の新聞を購読している。 I subscribe to two newspapers every morning.
2. オンライン雑誌の購読者数が急増している。 The number of online magazine subscribers is rapidly increasing.
3. 定期購読を申し込むと割引が適用される。 A discount is applied when you sign up for a regular subscription.

Usage Guide

Context: publishing, media, digital services, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 購 (kou, to buy/to purchase) + 読 (doku, to read). Literally 'buy and read,' capturing both the commercial and intellectual aspects of subscribing to published material.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal