Translation guide
Describes someone who reads a lot and with great enthusiasm. Japanese often uses specific compound nouns or descriptive phrases rather than a single adjective.
To describe someone who habitually reads many books, often as a hobby or identity.
A standard noun meaning 'a person who loves reading' or 'a great reader'. It implies a cultivated habit and is neutral in tone.
彼女は大変な読書家で、週に3冊は本を読む。
She is an avid reader, reading three books a week.
Literally 'bookworm'. A common, slightly informal term for someone who is always reading. Carries a warm, sometimes self-deprecating nuance.
うちの息子は本の虫で、休みの日は一日中読んでいる。
My son is a bookworm; he reads all day on his days off.
Means 'avid reader' or 'lover of books'. Slightly more formal than 読書家, often used in literary contexts.
彼は推理小説の愛読家だ。
He is an avid reader of mystery novels.
A straightforward descriptive phrase: 'a person who likes reading'. Natural and easy to use, but less concise than a single noun.
読書が好きな人にとって、この図書館は天国だ。
For an avid reader, this library is heaven.
Literally 'a person who often reads books'. Simple and clear, but lacks the nuance of enthusiasm.
電車の中でよく本を読む人をよく見かける。
I often see avid readers on the train.
To characterize a person's reading habits in a sentence, often using adjectives or descriptive phrases.
Means 'reads a lot' (literally 'reading volume is large'). A natural way to describe someone who reads extensively.
彼は読書量が多く、年間100冊以上読む。
He is an avid reader, reading over 100 books a year.
A simple verb phrase meaning 'reads books often'. Commonly used in casual conversation.
子供の頃から本をよく読んでいた。
I've been an avid reader since I was a child.
An adjective meaning 'enthusiastic about reading'. Slightly formal and less common in everyday speech.
読書熱心な学生には、特別な貸出カードが与えられる。
Avid readers among the students are given a special library card.
読書家 is a neutral, respectable term for a well-read person. 本の虫 is more colloquial and can imply someone who reads obsessively, sometimes to the detriment of other activities. Both are positive in most contexts.
The English phrase 'avid reader' does not have a direct adjective-noun equivalent in Japanese. Avoid literal translations like 熱心な読者 (which sounds like 'enthusiastic subscriber' or 'devoted reader of a particular publication'). Use the nouns or patterns above instead.
彼女は子供の頃から読書家だ。
She's been an avid reader since childhood.
祖父は歴史書の愛読家です。
My grandfather is an avid reader of history books.