N2 · 42 words

Arts and literature

Novels and poems, paintings and sculpture, concerts and the stage.

In the arts a person is usually named after the field with the ending 〜家(か): 芸術家(げいじゅつか), 小説家(しょうせつか), 作曲家(さっきょくか). Keep apart 作者(さくしゃ), whoever made one particular work, and 作家(さっか), a writer by profession. The verb 描(えが)く is usually read かく when it simply means drawing a picture, and えがく when a novel or a painting depicts something — the reading follows the meaning, not the kanji.

The words

Verb (1)

描くto depict; to portrayVerbN2

この小説(しょうせつ)は戦後(せんご)の東京(とうきょう)を描(えが)いている。This novel portrays Tokyo after the war.

Usually read かく when it simply means drawing or painting a picture.

This list belongs to Tradition, culture and belief — five lists and 204 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 42 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.