見出し

みだし

heading, index

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Understanding 見出し

The word 見出し (みだし) primarily means "heading" or "headline," commonly used in newspapers, reports, books, and other written materials to indicate titles or section headers. It helps readers quickly grasp the main topic or content of the following text.

Usage and Context

見出し is often seen in media contexts such as newspapers and magazines, where it refers to the headline that summarizes the article. It is also used in academic or business reports to denote section titles or chapter headings.

Common Collocations

  • 見出しをつける: to add a heading or title
  • 見出しを読む: to read the headline
  • 見出しが目立つ: the heading stands out

These collocations highlight how 見出し functions as a key element for organizing and summarizing content.

Register and Nuance

見出し is a neutral, standard term suitable for both formal and informal written Japanese. It is not used for spoken titles or names but strictly for written headings.

Learner Tips

A common confusion is mixing 見出し with タイトル (title). 見出し usually refers to headings within a text, while タイトル is often the title of a whole work like a book or movie. Remember to use 見出し when talking about section headings or headlines inside documents.

Example Sentences

しんぶんのみだしをよんで、きじのないようをよそうした。

I read the newspaper headline and guessed the content of the article.

れぽーとのみだしはかんけつでわかりやすくかくことがたいせつだ。

It is important to write the report headings concisely and clearly.

このほんのみだしはしょうごとにいろわけされている。

The headings in this book are color-coded by chapter.