推薦状

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 推薦状 is a noun read すいせんじょう, meaning a letter in which a recommender describes an applicant's or candidate's qualifications.
• Basic usage: Use 推薦状を添える for attaching the letter to application materials and 推薦状には…書かれている for stating what is written in it.
  • 応募書類に先生の推薦状を添えました。 describes attaching a teacher's recommendation letter to application materials; 推薦状には彼女の長所が具体的に書かれています。 says that her strengths are described specifically in the letter.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 推薦状を添える
  • に marks the documents receiving the attachment, while を marks the recommendation letter being attached.
• 推薦状には…書かれている
  • には presents the document as the location and topic of its contents, and the passive form describes the resulting written state.
• 推薦状 and 推薦
  • 推薦 is the act of recommending, whereas 推薦状 is the written document that expresses that recommendation.