作家

• Reading: さっか
• Romaji: sakka
• Kanji breakdown: 作 (saku) — make, create; 家 (ka) — specialist, professional
• Pronunciation: /sak.ka/

Meaning

Author; writer; novelist. A person who creates literary or artistic works professionally.

A noun referring to a professional creator, most commonly a writer or novelist. While 作家 primarily suggests literary authors, it can extend to other creative professionals when combined with a prefix, such as 脚本作家 (screenwriter) or 漫画家 (manga artist, using the related 家 suffix).

Examples

1. 好きな作家の新しい本が出た。 A new book by my favorite author came out.
2. 将来は作家になりたいと思っている。 I want to become a writer in the future.
3. あの作家はミステリー小説で知られている。 That author is known for mystery novels.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, culture, media

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 作 (make, create) and 家 (specialist, professional). Together they mean a person who specializes in creating works.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal