Pronunciation of 書 when by itself (meaning "book" / "piece of writing")


I am just beginning to read book reviews in Japanese, starting with [this
one](http://syousetsu-subaru.shueisha.co.jp/review/index.html) at 小説すばる. I'm
noticing that quite often the kanji 書 appears by itself, in phrases like:

> 書の内容
>
> 幅広いジャンルの書
>
> さまざまな書に敬意を払い

and the like. The dictionaries I've found are not clear as to whether in this
usage it would be pronounced しょ / ふみ / かき / がき (different possibilities I have
found).

Any thoughts on what is correct here? Also, is it something used this way only
in written language? In real life would you just say 本の内容 etc.?




In every one of your three examples, 「書」 is read 「しょ」. Read it differently in
any one of those and you will sound just "wronger" than you want to.

**_Formal/Technical vs. Informal/Non-Technical:_**

Brush Calligraphy: [書]{しょ}・[書道]{しょどう} vs. [習字]{しゅうじ}

Books: [書]{しょ}・[書籍]{しょせき}・[書物]{しょもつ} vs. [本]{ほん}

Letters: [書]{しょ}・[書簡]{しょかん} vs. [手紙]{てがみ}

For the 「ふみ」 reading, we have 「[書読]{ふみよ}み」, which means "scholar", but in
schools, you will learn to write it as 「文読み」 for the same reading.

The 「かき」/「がき」 readings will only be found as part of words such as
「お[品書]{しながき}」= "menu", 「[手書]{てがき}」 = "hand-writing", etc.

> "Also, is it something used this way only in written language? In real life
> would you just say [本]{ほん}の[内容]{ないよう} etc.?"

Generally speaking, yes, but perhaps not exclusively so because "daily
language" is different for everyone. Though highly unlikely, there might be
people out there who use 「書」 every time he refers to a book.

