男の子
otoko no ko[o̞to̞ko̞no̞ko̞]
The English word boy is translated into Japanese as 男の子 (otoko no ko), 少年 or 坊や.
Meaning: male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 男の子 | otoko no ko | [o̞to̞ko̞no̞ko̞] (narrow) |
| 少年 | shōnen | [ɕo̞ːnẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 坊や | bōya | [bo̞ːja̠] (narrow) |
男の子 is the most common, neutral way to say 'boy' in everyday conversation. It can be used in informal situations to portray a friendly and familiar tone.
Which one should you use?
少年 is more formal or literary than 男の子 and is often used in writing or to refer to a young adolescent. 坊や is an affectionate or patronizing way to address or refer to a small boy, similar to 'little boy' or 'sonny'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
少年 is a formal term used to refer to a young boy, typically in his teenage years. 坊や is an informal way to address or refer to a small boy.
How do you pronounce it?
otoko no ko
Did you know?
- The term 少年 is frequently used in Japanese media to categorize a specific demographic of manga and anime aimed at young males.
- The term 坊や sounds similar to the English word 'boy', but this is a complete coincidence with no historical link.
- Because 少年 can feel quite formal or even detached, using it to address a boy directly in person might sound like you are reading from a novel.
Examples in context
- 男の子ですよ。It's a boy.This sentence is useful for stating that a child is a boy using 男の子.Tatoeba #10633458 by small_snow, translation #5120801 by Ricardo14
- あの男の子は誰？Who is that boy?This sentence is useful for asking about the identity of a boy using 男の子.Tatoeba #3573657 by arnab, translation #67978 by CK
- 何歳、あの少年？How old is that boy?This sentence is useful for asking the age of a boy using 少年.Tatoeba #9191626 by small_snow, translation #9190860 by CK
- 「あの男の子は勉強がとても得意です。」That boy is very good at studying.
- 「彼は優れた少年サッカー選手です。」He is an outstanding young soccer player.
- 「彼は可愛い男の子だね。」He's such a cute boy, isn't he?
- 「あの少年は将来有望ですね。」That boy has a promising future, doesn't he?
- 274 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Kenta are looking at a photo of a child.
- 陽葵 Himariこの男の子は誰ですか？Kono otokonoko wa dare desu ka?Who is this boy?
- 健太 Kenta僕のいとこです。Boku no itoko desu.He is my cousin.
- 陽葵 Himari可愛い男の子ですね。Kawaii otokonoko desu ne.He is a cute boy, isn't he?
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries 男の子, 少年, 坊や, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 坊や, 少年, 男の子, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
