彼氏
kareshi[ka̠ɾe̞ɕi]
The Japanese word for boyfriend is 彼氏 (kareshi). Wiktionary also lists カレ (kare) and 彼 (kare).
Meaning: male partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 彼氏 | kareshi | [ka̠ɾe̞ɕi] (narrow) |
| カレ | kare | |
| 彼 | kare | [ka̠] (narrow) [ka̠ɾe̞] (narrow) |
| ボーイフレンド | bōifurendo | [bo̞ːiɸɯ̟̊ɾẽ̞ndo̞] (narrow) |
The most common way to refer to a male romantic partner is 彼氏. While you may see the transliteration of the English word, ボーイフレンド, it is also used in Japanese.
Which one should you use?
彼氏 is the most common way to specify a romantic partner. In contrast, 彼 can mean 'he' or 'him' and while it can be used to refer to a boyfriend in a casual context, it is much more ambiguous. ボーイフレンド is a direct transliteration of the English word 'boyfriend'.
How do you pronounce it?
kareshi
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use 彼 to mean 'boyfriend' in conversation, but this can cause confusion because its primary function is the third-person singular pronoun 'he'.
Did you know?
- Until the late Edo and early Meiji periods, the word 彼 was gender-neutral and could refer to any person over there.
- While 彼氏 is the standard term, some people use the word 恋人 to describe a partner regardless of gender, focusing on the 'love' aspect.
- Using ボーイフレンド often implies a more Westernized or 'modern' style of relationship compared to the traditional 彼氏.
Examples in context
- 彼氏はいますか？Do you have a boyfriend?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has a boyfriend.Tatoeba #4443249 by chihiro, translation #540088 by gracehero
- 彼氏ならいるよ。I have a boyfriend.This sentence is useful for stating that you have a boyfriend.Tatoeba #9812299 by small_snow, translation #3947203 by Balamax
- 彼氏はいません。I don't have a boyfriend.Tatoeba #10349022 by small_snow, translation #2234871 by Hybrid
- 私の彼氏は優しいです。My boyfriend is kind.
- 134 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui is talking with Kenta about her weekend plans.
- 結衣 Yui今週末は彼氏と映画に行きます。Konshūmatsu wa kareshi to eiga ni ikimasu.I'm going to a movie with my boyfriend this weekend.
- 健太 Kentaいいですね。何の映画を観るんですか？Ii desu ne. Nan no eiga o miru n desu ka?That's nice. What movie are you going to see?
- 結衣 Yui彼氏がおすすめしてくれたホラー映画です。Kareshi ga osusume shite kureta horā eiga desu.It's a horror movie my boyfriend recommended.
- 健太 Kentaそれは怖そうですね。Sore wa kowasō desu ne.That sounds scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boyfriend” translations and entries 彼氏, カレ, 彼, ボーイフレンド, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries カレ, ボーイフレンド, 彼, 彼氏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
