題名

• Reading: だいめい
• Romaji: daimei
• Kanji breakdown: 題 (dai) — topic, subject; 名 (mei) — name
• Pronunciation: /da.i.me.i/

Meaning

Title; the name of a book, film, song, or other creative work.

A noun used specifically for the title of a work such as a book, movie, or article. More formal than タイトル (the English loanword). Often used in academic or literary contexts. Distinguished from 名前 (namae), which refers to personal names.

Examples

1. この映画の題名が思い出せない。 I can't remember the title of this movie.
2. レポートの題名はもう決めましたか。 Have you decided on the title for your report yet?
3. 題名だけ見て面白そうだと思った。 I thought it looked interesting just from the title.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, academics, entertainment

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 題 (dai, topic/theme) and 名 (mei, name). Originally used in Chinese literary tradition to refer to the name given to a written work or painting.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal