How to Say "Main Character" in Japanese

主人公

shujinkō[ɕɨʑĩŋko̞ː]

The Japanese phrase for "main character" is 主人公 (shujinkō).

主人公 is used broadly to refer to the protagonist in various media, including literature, film, anime and video games.

What does it mean word for word?

The term is composed of 主, meaning master or main and 人公, meaning person, role or character.

While 主人公 refers to the protagonist, the term 脇役 is used to describe supporting or side characters.

shujinkō

In Japanese social contexts, someone who acts as if they are the 主人公 of real life is often described as having 主人公病, or 'protagonist disease'.
The word 主人公 originated as a Buddhist term referring to the 'principal person' or the soul's true nature in religious texts before it ever meant a literary lead.
The character 主 in 主人公 does not just mean 'main', it is the same character used to mean 'master' or 'owner' of a house or a shop.

この主人公、鈍感すぎる。
This main character is excessively thick in the head.
This sentence uses 主人公 to describe a character who is being too thick in the head.
Tatoeba #11022948 by small_snow, translation #13701701 by terrywallwork
やっぱり主人公だからかっこいいな。
As expected, the main character is cool.
This sentence uses 主人公 to note that the main character is cool.
Tatoeba #10996549 by small_snow, translation #12597753 by urro
主人公って、本の最後で死んじゃうのよ。
The main character dies at the end of the book.
This sentence uses 主人公 to explain that the protagonist dies at the end of a book.
Tatoeba #11285637 by small_snow, translation #5205523 by AlanF_US
3 more sentences on Tatoeba

Kenta and Misaki are discussing a movie they just watched.

健太 Kenta

この映画の主人公は誰だと思う？
Kono eiga no shujinkou wa dare da to omou?
Who do you think is the main character of this movie?
美咲 Misaki

やっぱり、あの少年が主人公だよね。
Yappari, ano shounen ga shujinkou da yo ne.
As expected, that boy is the main character, right?
健太 Kenta

そうだけど、あまり出番がなかったね。
Sou dakedo, amari deban ga nakatta ne.
True, but he didn't have many scenes.
美咲 Misaki

そこがこの物語の面白いところだよ。
Soko ga kono monogatari no omoshiroi tokoro da yo.
That's what makes this story interesting.

Sources

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