Japanese word

王子

Pronunciation

Romajiōji

Meaning

  • nounprince

Example

王子が町へ来ました。ō ji ga machi e ki ma shi ta

The prince came to town.

Illustration for 王子 (prince)

More examples

絵本では、王子が森で不思議な鳥に出会います。e hon de wa ō ji ga mori de fu shi gi na tori ni de a i ma su

In the picture book, the prince meets a mysterious bird in the forest.

Core concept

Refers to a royal son or other male royal whose title shows his connection to the ruling family.

Common phrases

  • 王子に会うō ji ni a u

    meet the prince

  • 王子を演じるō ji o en ji ru

    play the prince

Similar words

王太子ōtaishi: The male heir who is next in line to a king's throne.
プリンスpurinsu: A prince, often used as a title or name in modern settings.

Definition in Japanese

王族の男子を指す称号で、特に国王の息子を指す語。ō zoku no dan shi o sa su shō gō de toku ni koku ō no musuko o sa su go

Word origin

王子 (ōji, "prince") is a Sino-Japanese word formed from 王 (ō, "king") and 子 (ji, "child"), literally describing the child of a king.

Usage tips

  • The form 王子さま (ōji-sama) appears often in Japanese fairy tales, where さま (sama) adds a respectful tone to the title.

Related words

  • 王子様ōjisamaprincenoun
  • 王子らしいōjirashiiprincelyi-adjective

Word lists with this word