説話|せつわsetsuwa[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verbtale; narrative

• Synonym物語ものがたりNeutralThe broadest word for stories and narrative works, from novels to long fiction; 「説話」 covers only old tales handed down, orally or in writing.
• Synonym語り草かたりぐさNeutralA story or topic people relish retelling and pass on; the emphasis is on being widely talked about.
• Synonym故事こじWrittenWritten/formal prose: transmitted historical events, allusions or legends, especially past events that later generations cite as lessons.
• Synonym語りかたりNeutralTelling or narration — the act of telling, or a narration; not specifically old tales.
• Related伝説でんせつNeutralA legend, usually tied to a particular person or place; often overlaps with 「説話」.
• Related講談こうだんNeutralThe traditional storytelling art of performing war chronicles and heroic tales, or the stories told; 「説話」 focuses on stories handed down.
• RelatedクロニクルNeutralLoanword for a chronicle, a year-by-year record; mostly seen in book or series titles, with a history-book flavor.
• Related話はなしNeutralThe most ordinary word: talk, a chat, a topic; not limited to legends or old tales.
• Related記事きじNeutralA news article or report, focused on objective facts — not an old tale.
• Related記述きじゅつNeutralWriting something down in text; the emphasis is on the act or the text of description itself.
• Related年譜ねんぷWrittenWritten/formal prose: a chronological record of a person's or an organization's history — a timeline, not a story.
• Related沿革えんかくWrittenWritten/formal prose: an organization's development over time, commonly described in company and school profiles.
• Related叙事文じょじぶんWrittenA language-arts term in written/formal prose for writing that recounts events as a genre; not a tale handed down.
• Related年代記ねんだいきWrittenWritten/formal prose: annals recording events in chronological order; the emphasis is on historical fact, not folk tales.
• Related実記じっきWrittenIn written/formal prose, a faithful, factual record; 「説話」 is a transmitted tale and need not be true.
• Related編年史へんねんしWrittenWritten/formal prose: a historical term for a chronicle compiled year by year; a work of history with no link to folk tales.
• Related由来書ゆらいがきWrittenWritten/formal prose: a document explaining the origins of a temple, shrine or object; the focus is on origins.

Use 「説話」 for old tales handed down, folk tales or legends, as in 「今昔物語の説話」. For stories in general, choose 「物語」; for legends, 「伝説」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. (広義こうぎ)古ふるくより伝承でんしょうされて来きた話はなし・物語ものがたり一般いっぱん。
2. (狭義きょうぎ)民話みんわ（昔話むかしばなし）や伝説でんせつ。