長男
chōnan
The Japanese phrase for eldest son is 長男 (chōnan).
長男 refers to the firstborn male child in a family. It is a term frequently used in formal contexts, such as when discussing family lineages or dealing with legal matters like inheritance.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 長 (chō), meaning 'long' or 'chief/eldest' and 男 (nan), meaning 'male/son'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To refer to someone else's eldest son politely, you should add the honorific prefix ご to the word, forming ご長男.
How do you pronounce it?
chōnan
Did you know?
- In many Japanese family registers, the distinction of being the 'eldest son' is more important than being the 'oldest child'. A family might have a daughter who is older than the 'chōnan', but he remains the primary figure in traditional lineage discussions.
- In modern Japanese pop culture, the term 'chōnan' is often used as a trope in manga and anime to depict a character burdened by heavy family expectations or traditionalist pressures.
- In traditional Japanese culture, the 長男 often carries the responsibility of the 'ie' system, where he inherits not just property but the duty to support parents and maintain the ancestral line.
Examples in context
- ご長男はおいくつですか？How old is your eldest son?This sentence is useful for asking about the age of someone's eldest son using the polite form ご長男.Tatoeba #9314362 by bunbuku, translation #12429366 by Lumi
- 長男がすべての財産を相続した。The eldest son succeeded to all the property.This sentence is useful for describing how the eldest son using 長男 inherited property.Tatoeba #125865 by KK_kaku_, translation #278127 by Eldad
- 私の長子は高校生です。My eldest son is in high school.
- 長男が一番背が高いよ。The eldest son is the tallest among them.
- 彼は長男で、兄弟の中で一番頼りになります。He's the eldest son and the most reliable among his siblings.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about their families.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さんは兄弟がいますか？Yui-san wa kyōdai ga imasu ka?Yui, do you have any siblings?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、兄が一人います。Hai, ani ga hitori imasu.Yes, I have one older brother.
- 蓮 Renお兄さんは長男なんですね。Oniisan wa chōnan nan desu ne.So your brother is the eldest son.
- 結衣 Yuiはい、そうです。Hai, sō desu.Yes, that's right.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
