僕
Jōyō kanji[bo̞kɯ̟]
boku is the Japanese way to say "I".
僕 is a first-person pronoun primarily used by males to refer to themselves. It is often used by boys and young men to sound softer or more humble.
Which one should you use?
Compared to the standard, gender-neutral and polite 私 (watashi), 僕 is more casual and gender-specific to males. It is also less assertive and more polite than the more masculine and rough pronoun 俺 (ore).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
僕 is a first-person pronoun used primarily by males in informal or semi-polite settings.
Did you know?
- The word boku originally meant 'servant' or 'slave'. It was used as a humble way to refer to oneself by literally describing one's low social status.
- While primarily used by males, some girls in anime, manga, and certain real-life subcultures use boku to project a boyish or tomboyish persona.
- In Japanese songs, the use of boku often creates a sense of nostalgia or innocence, frequently appearing in lyrics about childhood or unrequited love.
Examples in context
- 僕は大学生です。Boku wa daigakusei desu.I am a college student.
- 僕は明日、早く行きます。Boku wa ashita, hayaku ikimasu.I will go early tomorrow.
- 僕の名前は蓮です。Boku no namae wa Ren desu.My name is Ren.
Example conversation
A new student and a classmate are introducing themselves in a classroom.
- 陽葵 Himari初めまして、陽葵です。Hajimemashite, Himari desu.Nice to meet you, I am Himari.
- 蓮 Ren僕は蓮です。よろしくね。Boku wa Ren desu. Yoroshiku ne.I am Ren. Nice to meet you.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さんは、どこから来ましたか？Ren-san wa, doko kara kimashita ka?Ren, where are you from?
- 蓮 Ren僕は東京から来ました。Boku wa Tokyo kara kimashita.I came from Tokyo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 僕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 僕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
