文字はそれが半ば商売、半ば芸術であるとき最高に栄える。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

Literature flourishes best when it is half a trade and half an art.

Furigana

文字(もじ)はそれが半(なか)ば商売(しょうばい)、半(なか)ば芸術(げいじゅつ)であるとき最高(さいこう)に栄(さか)える。

Romanji

Moji wa sore ga nakaba shōbai, nakaba geijutsu de aru toki saikō ni sakaeru.

Words

文字 (もじ、もんじ)

letter (of alphabet); character; literal

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

其れ (それ)

that (indicating an item or person near the listener, the action of the listener, or something on their mind); it; that time; then; there (indicating a place near the listener); you

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

半ば (なかば)

middle; half; semi; halfway; partly

商売 (しょうばい)

trade; business; commerce; transaction; occupation

芸術 (げいじゅつ)

(fine) art; the arts

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

或 (ある)

a certain ...; some ...

とき (とき)

regular (stops at every station) Jouetsu-line Shinkansen

最高 (さいこう)

highest; supreme; the most

に (に)

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

栄える (さかえる)

to prosper; to flourish