Pronunciation: /tsʊn.do.ku/

Definitions of tsundoku

noun a stack of unread books that you own

Example Sentences

A1 I have a lot of tsundoku at home - books I bought but haven't read yet.

A2 Tsundoku is a common problem for book lovers who can't resist buying more books.

B1 Her tsundoku pile keeps growing as she keeps buying new books without finishing the old ones.

B2 Managing tsundoku can be challenging, but setting a reading schedule can help reduce the pile.

C1 The librarian's tsundoku collection was so extensive that she had to start donating books to make room for new ones.

C2 Despite her busy schedule, she always finds time to indulge in her tsundoku habit and escape into the world of literature.

Examples of tsundoku in a Sentence

formal Tsundoku is a Japanese term that refers to the habit of buying books and letting them pile up without reading them.

informal My friend has a serious case of tsundoku - her bookshelf is overflowing with unread books.

slang I need to stop tsundoku-ing so much or I'll run out of space for new books!

figurative Tsundoku can also apply to other things besides books, like collecting items and never using them.

Grammatical Forms of tsundoku

past tense

tsundoku-ed

plural

tsundokus

comparative

more tsundoku

superlative

most tsundoku

present tense

tsundokus

future tense

will tsundoku

perfect tense

have tsundoku-ed

continuous tense

is tsundoku-ing

singular

tsundoku

positive degree

very tsundoku

infinitive

to tsundoku

gerund

tsundoku-ing

participle

tsundoku-ed

Origin and Evolution of tsundoku

First Known Use: 1879 year
Language of Origin: Japanese
Story behind the word: The word 'tsundoku' originated in Japan and is a combination of 'tsunde' (meaning 'to stack things') and 'oku' (meaning 'to leave for a while').
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe the act of acquiring books and letting them pile up without reading them, 'tsundoku' has evolved to also encompass the joy of collecting books and the comfort they bring to their owners.