What a sakubun is
Sakubun simply means a composition, but in practice it refers to a few recognisable types. Knowing which type you have been asked for tells you the style and structure to use.
Learners most often meet sakubun in language schools, where short compositions are regular homework, and in admission essays. The writing is usually done on manuscript paper, with a character limit.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 作文 | sakubun | Composition |
| 読書感想文 | dokusho kansōbun | A book report giving your thoughts on a book |
| 意見文 | ikenbun | An opinion essay |
| 小論文 | shōronbun | A short academic essay, often in exams |
Choosing the style and keeping it
The first decision is the sentence style. In desu-masu style every sentence ends politely; in da-dearu style sentences end in plain forms. Both are standard in writing, and the rule that matters is consistency: a single desu in a dearu essay is marked as an error.
For opinion essays and exams, da-dearu is the usual choice because it reads as objective. For personal compositions, desu-masu is common and friendly.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 私は夏休みに祖母の家へ行きました。 | Watashi wa natsuyasumi ni sobo no ie e ikimashita. | I went to my grandmother's house in the summer holidays. Desu-masu style |
| 私は夏休みに祖母の家へ行った。 | Watashi wa natsuyasumi ni sobo no ie e itta. | The same sentence in da-dearu style |
| 環境問題は重要な課題である。 | Kankyō mondai wa jūyō na kadai de aru. | Environmental problems are an important issue. Dearu style |
A structure that works
For most sakubun, especially opinion essays, a three-part structure is the safest and clearest. Each part is one or more paragraphs, and each paragraph starts with one empty square on manuscript paper.
- Introduction: state the topic and your position in one or two sentences.
- Body: give two or three reasons, each with a concrete example.
- Address the other side briefly if the task asks for an opinion.
- Conclusion: restate your position and what follows from it.
- Keep each paragraph to one idea.
Prompts that come up again and again
Sakubun prompts are predictable, and preparing a few reusable ideas for common themes makes timed writing much easier.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 将来の夢 | shōrai no yume | My dream for the future |
| 夏休みの思い出 | natsuyasumi no omoide | Memories of the summer holidays |
| 私の国と日本の違い | watashi no kuni to Nihon no chigai | Differences between my country and Japan |
| 日本語を勉強して変わったこと | nihongo o benkyō shite kawatta koto | What changed since I started studying Japanese |
| スマートフォンは子どもに必要か | sumātofon wa kodomo ni hitsuyō ka | Do children need smartphones? |
Spoken habits to remove
The most common weakness in learner essays is spoken Japanese on the page. Each of these is natural in conversation and noticeable in writing.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| すごく | sugoku | Very: in writing use totemo or hijō ni |
| なので | nanode | So, at the start of a sentence: use sono tame or dakara |
| でも | demo | But, at the start of a sentence: use shikashi |
| 〜けど | kedo | But, joining clauses: use ga |
| 〜とか | toka | Things like: use ya or nado |
| 〜ちゃった | chatta | Ended up doing: use te shimatta |
| いっぱい | ippai | A lot: use takusan or ōku no |
Phrases for stating and supporting an opinion
Opinion essays rely on a small set of connectors. Using them makes the structure visible to the reader and to a marker.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 私は〜と考える。 | Watashi wa ... to kangaeru. | I think that ... (dearu style) |
| その理由は二つある。 | Sono riyū wa futatsu aru. | There are two reasons for this. |
| 第一に、 | Daiichi ni, | First, |
| 例えば、 | Tatoeba, | For example, |
| 一方で、 | Ippō de, | On the other hand, |
| このように、 | Kono yō ni, | In this way, |
| 以上の理由から、 | Ijō no riyū kara, | For the reasons above, |
Finding something to say
Most learners who struggle with sakubun are not short of grammar; they are short of ideas in Japanese. Talking about the topic first solves this, because you discover your reasons and examples out loud before trying to write them.
Discussing a prompt with your AI Sensei in Unihongo's 3D classroom works well for this: you are asked follow-up questions, which is exactly what produces reasons and examples. The session report's vocabulary and grammar lists then become raw material for the essay, which you rewrite in written style.