誇りに思う
hokori ni omou
The phrase 'proud of you' in Japanese is expressed as 誇りに思う (hokori ni omou).
This phrase is used to express deep, sincere pride in someone's character or achievements, often used by parents, mentors or teachers.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 誇り (hokori), meaning 'pride', the particle に (ni), meaning 'as' and 思う (omou), meaning 'to think'. Literally, it means 'to think of (something) as a pride'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal situations where you want to recognize and convey pride in someone's abilities, you might also use さすがだね (sasuga da ne), which means 'As I expected' or 'Just as I thought'.
How do you pronounce it?
hokori ni omou
Did you know?
- The word 誇り (hokori) is a homophone for the word for 'dust'. Depending on the context and kanji, the same sound can refer to a deep sense of honor or a speck of dirt on a table.
- While 'proud of you' sounds warm in English, saying 誇りに思う to a peer or superior in Japan can feel strangely heavy or even condescending. It creates a psychological distance that suggests you are looking down from a position of authority.
- In many anime and manga, the phrase 誇りに思う is reserved for high-stakes, dramatic moments, such as a master speaking to a student. In daily life, this makes the phrase sound much more epic and cinematic than the casual English 'proud of you'.
Examples in context
- お前のことを誇りに思うよ。I'm proud of you.This sentence is useful for expressing 'I'm proud of you' using the form 誇りに思う.Tatoeba #161270 by small_snow, translation #15913 by CK
- すごいね！もともと走るのが得意だったから、さすがだよ。That's amazing! You were always good at running, so I expected nothing less.
- 君の努力を誇りに思うよ。Kimi no doryoku o hokori ni omou yo.I am proud of your efforts.
- 娘の成長を誇りに思う。Musume no seichō o hokori ni omou.I am proud of my daughter's growth.
Example conversation
Ren congratulates Yui on passing a difficult exam.
- 蓮 Ren合格おめでとう、結衣！Gōkaku omedetō, Yui!Congratulations on passing, Yui!
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう、蓮さん。Arigatō, Ren-san.Thank you, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren君のことを本当に誇りに思うよ。Kimi no koto o hontō ni hokori ni omou yo.I am truly proud of you.
- 結衣 Yuiそう言ってもらえて嬉しいです。Sō itte moraete ureshii desu.I am happy to hear you say that.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
