君
[kʲimʲi]
kimi is the Japanese word for the second-person pronoun 'you'.
kimi is a pronoun used to refer to the person being addressed. In song lyrics and poetry, it is frequently used to refer to a beloved or a person of significance in a romantic or idealized sense. In casual conversation, the katakana form キミ is a straightforward way to address friends or peers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The pronoun 君 is used in informal settings, typically by someone of higher status or age addressing someone of lower status or younger age. In casual contexts or among male friends, the suffix 君 can be added to a person's last name to address them, such as [Family Name] + 君.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as the subject or topic of a sentence, the particle wa is often added to form kimi wa.
Did you know?
- The word kimi likely originated as a borrowing from the Silla kingdom's word for 'king'. This ancient root still appears in the modern Korean word for monarch, imgeum.
- Despite having several words for 'you', Japanese speakers often avoid using kimi or any pronoun entirely in conversation. Instead, they prefer using the person's name or omitting the subject if it is understood from context.
- While 'you' is often a neutral term in English, using kimi to address a stranger can actually feel patronizing or overly condescending because it implies a hierarchy.
Examples in context
- 君の考えを聞かせて。kimi no kangae o kikasete.Let me hear your thoughts.
- 君は本当にかっこいいよ。kimi wa hontou ni kakkoii yo.You are really cool.
- 君なら絶対にできる。kimi nara zettai ni dekiru.You can definitely do it.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about a movie.
- 美咲 Misaki君はこの映画が好き？Kimi wa kono eiga ga suki?Do you like this movie?
- 健太 Kentaうん、とても面白いと思う。Un, totemo omoshiroi to omou.Yeah, I think it's very interesting.
- 美咲 Misaki私もそう思うよ。Watashi mo sou omou yo.I think so too.
- 健太 Kentaまた一緒に見に行こう。Mata issho ni mi ni ikou.Let's go see another one together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 君, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 君, CC BY-SA 4.0.
