独身
dokushin[do̞kɯ̟̊ɕĩɴ]
The English phrase "celibacy" is translated into Japanese as 独身 (dokushin).
While 'celibacy' in English often implies a religious or intentional vow, 独身 (dokushin) is the standard term used in Japanese to describe a person's marital status as being single or unmarried.
Meaning: abstaining from sexual relations (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
dokushin
Did you know?
- A person who is intentionally single by choice might use the term 独身貴族 (dokushin kizoku), which means 'single aristocrat', to express a sense of pride in their lifestyle.
- The word 独身 (dokushin) literally translates to 'alone body'.
- The kanji 独 in 独身 is the same character used in 孤独, meaning 'solitude' or 'loneliness'. This links the state of being unmarried to the concept of being alone in the Japanese writing system.
Example sentences for Japanese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are discussing their future goals.
- 健太 Kenta僕は、ずっと独身でいたいと思う。Boku wa, zutto dokushin de itai to omou.I think I want to remain celibate forever.
- 陽葵 Himariそれは意外だね、健太。Sore wa igai da ne, Kenta.That's surprising, Kenta.
- 健太 Kenta一人の時間が大切なんだ。Hitori no jikan ga taisetsu nanda.Time alone is important to me.
- 陽葵 Himariあなたの考えを尊重するよ。Anata no kangae o sonchou suru yo.I respect your decision.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “celibacy” translations and entries 独身, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
