著す

• Reading: あらわす
• Romaji: arawasu
• Kanji breakdown: 著 (cho/arawa) — write, publish, remarkable
• Pronunciation: /a.ɾa.wa.sɯ/

Meaning

To write (a book); to publish; to author. A literary verb for creating written works.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. More formal and literary than 書く (to write). Specifically used for authoring books and scholarly works, not for everyday writing. The related noun 著書 (published work) and 著者 (author) share the same kanji. Rarely used in casual conversation.

Examples

1. 彼は歴史に関する本を著した。 He authored a book on history.
2. 有名な学者が新しい論文を著した。 A famous scholar published a new paper.
3. その作家は生涯で二十冊以上の本を著した。 That writer authored over twenty books in his lifetime.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, academia, publishing

Tone: literary

Origin & History

From 著 (cho/arawa, to write/publish/remarkable). The kanji combines 艹 (grass) and 者 (person), originally meaning 'conspicuous' — something that stands out, later extended to published works.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated