Shōsoku (消息 - Letter/News)

Shōsoku

A letter or news that informs what you have been doing lately is called 'shōsoku' (消息) in Japanese.

Since 'shō' (消) usually means "to vanish" and 'soku' (息) usually means "breath," the literal meaning of 'shōsoku' is "vanishing breath."

However, a vanishing breath could be taken to mean "death."

Actually, 'shō' and 'soku' can mean "death" and "life," respectively, so it originally meant "life and death."

Later, it came to means "to let someone know about your situation or condition," and changed to its current meaning, "a letter from you" or "news about you."

消息

状況を知らせる手紙や連絡のことを「消息」と言います。

「消」は "to vanish"、「息」は通常 "breath" を意味するので、「消息」の文字どおりの意味は "vanishing breath" となります。

しかし、これでは「息が消える」すなわち「死ぬ」という意味になってしまいます。

実は、「消」には「死ぬ」、「息」には「生きる」という意味もあり、「消息」は「生き死に」を意味する言葉でした。

そこから、「消息」は状況や様子を知らせるという意味を持つようになり、現在の「手紙」や「連絡」という意味に変化したというわけです。

• A letter or news that informs what you have been doing lately is called 'shōsoku' (消息) in Japanese.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Since 'shō' (消) usually means "to vanish" and 'soku' (息) usually means "breath," the literal meaning of 'shōsoku' is "vanishing breath."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• However, a vanishing breath could be taken to mean "death."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Actually, 'shō' and 'soku' can mean "death" and "life," respectively, so it originally meant "life and death."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Later, it came to means "to let someone know about your situation or condition," and changed to its current meaning, "a letter from you" or "news about you."
• Afterwards its meaning changed to "to let someone know about your situation or condition," and currently it has the meaning of "a letter from you" or "news about you."

Very interesting!

• Shōsoku (消息 - Letter/News)
• Shōsoku (消息 - Newsletter)