草稿

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 草稿, read そうこう, denotes a draft manuscript prepared before a text is finalized.
• Basic usage: In 演説の草稿には何度も赤字で修正が入っている。, the speech draft contains repeated corrections in red.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Draft and manuscript
  • 原稿 broadly denotes a written manuscript; 草稿 highlights its character as a draft still being developed.
• Context of 赤字
  • In the draft-revision scene, 赤字 means red writing used for corrections. This differs from its financial sense of a deficit.