Meaning and Usage
The suffix ～集 (～しゅう) means "a collection of ~" and is attached to nouns to indicate a compilation or anthology of items related to that noun. It is commonly used for collections of literary works, photos, songs, or other grouped items.
Common Contexts
You will often see ～集 used with words like 詩 (poetry), 写真 (photographs), 短編 (short stories), or 曲 (songs) to form terms like 詩集 (poetry collection), 写真集 (photo album), 短編集 (short story collection), and so on.
Collocations and Patterns
- 詩集 (ししゅう): poetry collection
- 写真集 (しゃしんしゅう): photo album or photo collection
- 短編集 (たんぺんしゅう): short story collection
- 名曲集 (めいきょくしゅう): collection of famous songs
These combinations are often used in literary, artistic, or entertainment contexts.
Register and Nuance
～集 is a neutral and formal suffix used in written and spoken Japanese. It is appropriate in academic, literary, and commercial contexts such as book titles or product names.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse ～集 with ～集める (to collect). Remember that ～集 is a noun suffix indicating a collection, not a verb. For example, 詩集 is a "poetry collection," while 詩を集める means "to collect poems."