私の推し
watashi no oshi
In Japanese, "my favorite character" is expressed as 私の推し (watashi no oshi).
The phrase 私の推し is used to refer to a person, whether a fictional character or a real-life celebrity, that a fan actively supports.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun part, 推し, is derived from the verb 推す, which means "to push" or "to support/recommend". Literally, it refers to the person one is "pushing" or supporting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
私の推し is rooted in fan culture and is considered more colloquial or slang-adjacent than standard terms. If you need to be more formal, you can use 私のお気に入りのキャラクター or 私の一番好きなキャラクター, the latter of which emphasizes that the character is your absolute favorite. For literature or live-action shows, the formal term 私のお気に入りの登場人物 is also appropriate. In informal settings, you can use 私の大好きなキャラ or 私の一番好きなキャラ.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi no oshi
Did you know?
- Some fans practice 祭壇 (saidan), creating 'altars' at home filled with merchandise of their 推し to show devotion.
- In extreme cases, fans describe their feeling as 推し事 (oshigoto), a pun that replaces the word for 'work' with 推し to suggest that supporting their favorite is their full-time job.
- The term 箱推し (hako-oshi) is used when a fan supports every single member of a group or cast instead of just one individual.
Examples in context
- 可愛い私のお気に入りのキャラMy favorite cute character
- 私の一番好きなキャラはルフィです。彼は勇敢で仲間思いなたくましい船長ですMy favorite character is Luffy. He is a brave, caring, and strong captain.
- 私の推しは、このアニメの主人公です。Watashi no oshi wa, kono anime no shujinkou desu.My favorite character is the protagonist of this anime.
- 彼は私の推しです。Kare wa watashi no oshi desu.He is my favorite character.
- 私の推しについて語らせてください。Watashi no oshi ni tsuite katarasete kudasai.Please let me talk about my favorite character.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about an anime.
- 陽葵 Himariこのアニメ、誰が一番好き？Kono anime, dare ga ichiban suki?Who is your favorite in this anime?
- 蓮 Renやっぱり私の推しは主人公かな。Yappari watashi no oshi wa shujinkou kana.I guess my favorite character is the protagonist.
- 陽葵 Himari私も彼が大好き！Watashi mo kare ga daisuki!I love him too!
- 蓮 Renよかった、気が合うね。Yokatta, ki ga au ne.I'm glad we have the same taste.
