物語

• Reading: ものがたり
• Romaji: monogatari
• Kanji breakdown: 物 (mono) — thing, object; 語 (gatari/katari) — narrate, tell
• Pronunciation: /mo.no.ɡa.ta.ɾi/

Meaning

Tale; story; legend. A narrative or account of events, real or fictional.

A noun referring to stories, tales, or narratives in any medium. Used for literary works like 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji), personal stories, and figurative narratives. Common in compounds like 物語る (monogataru, to tell/narrate). Slightly more literary than 話 (hanashi, story/talk).

Examples

1. 子供のころ、母が毎晩物語を読んでくれた。 When I was a child, my mother read me a story every night.
2. この映画は実際にあった物語に基づいている。 This movie is based on a true story.
3. 物語の結末が気になって最後まで読んだ。 I was so curious about the ending of the story that I read it all the way through.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, storytelling, film

Tone: literary

Origin & History

Compound of 物 (mono, thing) and 語り (katari, narration). Literally 'narration of things.' One of the oldest literary terms in Japanese, dating back to the Heian period.

Cultural Context

Era: Heian period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal