Japanese word

せがれ

Pronunciation

Romajisegare

Meaning

  • nounson

Example

私のせがれは東京で働いています。watashi no se ga re wa tō kyō de hatara i te i ma su

My son works in Tokyo.

Illustration for せがれ (son)

More examples

私はせがれの成長を喜んでいます。watashi wa se ga re no sei chō o yoroko n de i ma su

I am pleased with my son's growth.

Core concept

せがれ (segare) refers to the speaker's own son with a familiar and modest tone rather than as a neutral family term.

Common phrases

  • うちのせがれu chi no se ga re

    my son

  • せがれに任せるse ga re ni maka se ru

    entrust to one's son

Similar words

息子musuko: A male child in relation to a parent.
子息shisoku: A formal term for a person's son.
愚息gusoku: A humble term for the speaker's own son.

Definition in Japanese

話し手が自分の息子を親しみやへりくだりを込めていう語。hana shi te ga ji bun no musuko o shita shi mi ya he ri ku da ri o ko me te i u go

Word origin

せがれ (segare) is a native Japanese word, but its exact formation is uncertain; it is recorded as a modest term for one's own son.

Usage tips

  • In modern Japanese, せがれ (segare) often appears in familiar or self-deprecating speech about the speaker's own son rather than in formal writing.

Word lists with this word