https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku __**Tsundoku**__ ([Japanese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language): 積ん読) is acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in one's home without reading them.[^1][^2][^3] The term originated in the [Meiji era](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_period) (1868–1912) as Japanese slang.[^4] It combines elements of __tsunde-oku__ (積んでおく, to pile things up ready for later and leave) and __dokusho__ (読書, reading books). It is also used to refer to books ready for reading later when they are on a [bookshelf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookcase). As currently written, the word combines the characters for "pile up" (積) and the character for "read" (読).[^4] [^1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku#cite_note-huffpost-1 [^2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku#cite_note-LAtimes-2 [^3]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku#cite_note-3 [^4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsundoku#cite_note-open-4