字体

• Reading: じたい
• Romaji: jitai
• Kanji breakdown: 字 (ji) — character, letter; 体 (tai) — body, form
• Pronunciation: /dʑi.ta.i/

Meaning

Font; lettering style; the form or shape of written characters.

A noun referring to the visual style of written characters, including typefaces, calligraphic styles, and character variants. In modern use, often relates to digital fonts and typography. Traditional context includes different forms of kanji: 旧字体 (kyuujitai, old character forms) versus 新字体 (shinjitai, new/simplified character forms).

Examples

1. このポスターの字体がとてもおしゃれだ。 The font on this poster is really stylish.
2. 旧字体は画数が多くて書くのが大変だ。 Old-style characters have a lot of strokes and are hard to write.
3. パソコンで字体を変えたら読みやすくなった。 Changing the font on the computer made it easier to read.

Usage Guide

Context: design, calligraphy, computing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 字 (character/letter) and 体 (body/form). Together they describe the physical form that a character takes, a concept important in both calligraphy and modern typography.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal