Japanese word

王様

Pronunciation

Romajiōsama

Meaning

  • nounking

Example

その国の王様は国民に人気があります。so no kuni no ō sama wa koku min ni nin ki ga a ri ma su

The king of that country is popular with its people.

Illustration for 王様 (king)

More examples

昔話では、王様が森で不思議な鳥に出会います。mukashi banashi de wa ō sama ga mori de fu shi gi na tori ni de a i ma su

In the fairy tale, the king meets a mysterious bird in the forest.

Core concept

Refers to a king as the person who holds the highest ruling position in a kingdom and is spoken of with respect.

Common phrases

  • 王様の城ō sama no shiro

    the king's castle

  • 王様に仕えるō sama ni tsuka e ru

    serve the king

Similar words

王ō: A male monarch who rules a kingdom, especially in formal or historical contexts.
国王kokuō: A male monarch who formally rules a country or kingdom.

Definition in Japanese

国を治める君主を、敬意を込めて呼ぶ語。kuni o osa me ru kun shu o kei i o ko me te yo bu go

Word origin

The compound 王様 (ōsama) consists of 王 (ō, "king") and 様 (sama, "respectful form"), so it means a king addressed or described respectfully.

Usage tips

  • In English, king can name both a monarch and a playing card, while 王様 (ōsama) normally refers to a monarch or storybook ruler.

Related words

  • 王様らしさōsamarashisakinglinessnoun
  • 王様らしいōsamarashiikinglyi-adjective

Word lists with this word