習俗

• Reading: しゅうぞく
• Romaji: shuuzoku
• Kanji breakdown: 習 (shuu) — learn, practice, custom; 俗 (zoku) — customs, folk, popular
• Pronunciation: /ɕɯː.zo.kɯ/

Meaning

Manners and customs; folkways; social practices. Traditional customs and ways of life.

A noun referring to the customs, manners, and traditional practices of a society or community. More academic and formal than 風習 (fuushuu, custom) or 習慣 (shuukan, habit). Often used in anthropological, sociological, and historical contexts. Common collocations include 民間習俗 (minkan shuuzoku, folk customs) and 習俗を調べる (shuuzoku wo shiraberu, to research customs). Emphasises collective, traditional behaviour patterns.

Examples

1. 各地域の習俗を比較する研究が進められている。 Research comparing the customs of different regions is being conducted.
2. その島には本土と異なる独自の習俗が残っている。 That island retains its own unique customs, distinct from those of the mainland.
3. 近代化に伴い、古い習俗が失われつつある。 As modernization progresses, old customs are being lost.

Usage Guide

Context: anthropology, history, cultural studies

Tone: academic

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 習 (shuu, learn/practice/custom) + 俗 (zoku, customs/folk/popular). Literally 'practised customs' — the habitual ways of life within a community.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal