Writing such as an essay or composition—putting thoughts or events into a structured piece of writing.
夏休みの宿題で五百字の作文を書いた。
I wrote a 500-character composition for summer homework.
彼女は作文が上手で、表現が豊かだ。
She is good at writing compositions and has rich expression.
授業で自分の経験についての作文を書いた。
In class I wrote a composition about my experience.
Formal writing that lacks real substance—texts that are formulaic or perfunctory and often carry a sense of empty rhetoric.
彼のスピーチは作文のようで感情が伝わらなかった。
His speech sounded like a prepared script and didn't convey emotion.
その報告書は専門用語ばかりで、ただの作文にしか見えない。
That report is full of jargon and looks like mere empty writing.