Japanese word

苗字

Pronunciation

Romajimyōji

Meaning

  • nounlast name

Example

あなたの苗字は何ですか？a na ta no myō ji wa nan de su ka

What is your last name?

Illustration for 苗字 (last name)

More examples

学校では苗字で呼ばれています。gak kō de wa myō ji de yo ba re te i ma su

At school, I am called by my last name.

Core concept

Identifies the family line a person belongs to through a name used alongside the given name.

Common phrases

  • 苗字を書くmyō ji o ka ku

    write one's last name

  • 苗字を教えるmyō ji o oshi e ru

    tell someone one's last name

  • 苗字で呼ぶmyō ji de yo bu

    call someone by their last name

Similar words

姓sei: A formal term for a family name used with a given name.

Definition in Japanese

個人の名に添えて、家族や血縁の集団を示すために用いる名。ko jin no na ni so e te ka zoku ya ketsu en no shū dan o shime su ta me ni mochi i ru na

Word origin

苗字 (myōji) is written with 苗 (myō, "descendant") and 字 (ji, "written character"); 苗 carries the extended sense of a family line, and 字 denotes a written name.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese name order, 苗字 (myōji) usually comes before the given name, so last name is a meaning-based translation rather than a description of its position.

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