かんごし
kangoshieveryday, official
In hiragana, "nurse" is かんごし (kangoshi). An older word, かんごふ (kangofu), was used for female nurses and is rarely used now.
Meaning: nurse (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| かんごし | kangoshi | everyday, official |
| かんごふ | kangofu | older term |
To say what you do, use わたしは かんごしです (watashi wa kangoshi desu). To call a nurse in a clinic, people often say かんごしさん (kangoshisan).
What does it mean word for word?
かんごし is 看護師 in kanji. The ending し (shi) is a title for a qualified professional.
Which one should you use?
かんごふ (kangofu) was an older word for a female nurse. Since the early 2000s the gender neutral かんごし (kangoshi) has been the official title for any nurse.
Did you know?
- Japan changed the official name of the profession to かんごし (kangoshi) in 2002 to cover both men and women.
Examples in context
- はははかんごしです。Haha wa kangoshi desu.My mother is a nurse.
- かんごしさんに きいてください。Kangoshisan ni kiite kudasai.Please ask the nurse.
- かんごしに なりたいです。Kangoshi ni naritai desu.I want to become a nurse.
Example conversation
Miki is a nurse at a clinic and talks with a patient, Mr. Ueda.
- Mikiうえださん、おねつを はかりますね。Ueda-san, onetsu o hakarimasu ne.Mr. Ueda, I will take your temperature.
- Mr. Uedaおねがいします。Onegai shimasu.Please do.
- Mikiだいじょうぶですよ。Daijōbu desu yo.It is fine.
