お気に入り
okiniiri[o̞kʲiɲ̟iiɾʲi]
The English phrase "something is my favorite" is expressed in Japanese as お気に入り (okiniiri).
お気に入り is used to describe a person or thing that you like more than others of the same kind. Adding "…ga ichiban suki desu." emphasizes that something is your absolute favorite.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use お気に入り as a complete sentence meaning 'It is my favorite', you should add the copula です (desu) to the end to form お気に入りです.
How do you pronounce it?
okiniiri
Did you know?
- In the world of fandom, the word 推し (oshi) describes a favorite member of a group and implies the fan is actively 'pushing' or supporting them to success.
- The phrase お気に入り contains the word 入り, which comes from the verb 'hairu' meaning 'to enter'. Literally, it describes something that has 'entered' your heart or spirit.
- The term お気に入り is the standard Japanese translation for the 'bookmarks' or 'favorites' folder in a web browser.
Examples in context
- これは私のお気に入りです。Kore wa watashi no oki-ni-iri desu.This is my favorite.
- このカフェは私のお気に入りです。Kono kafe wa watashi no oki-ni-iri desu.This cafe is my favorite.
- 彼のお気に入りの曲は何ですか？Kare no oki-ni-iri no kyoku wa nan desu ka?What is his favorite song?
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are looking at a menu in a cafe.
- 陽太 Yota結衣さんは何にする？Yui-san wa nani ni suru?What will you have, Yui?
- 結衣 Yui私はこのケーキがお気に入りなの。Watashi wa kono kēki ga okiniiri na no.This cake is my favorite.
- 陽太 Yotaいいですね。僕もそれにしよう。Ii desu ne. Boku mo sore ni shiyō.That sounds good. I'll have that too.
- 結衣 Yui本当に美味しいからおすすめだよ。Hontō ni oishii kara osusume da yo.It's really delicious, so I recommend it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お気に入り, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お気に入り, CC BY-SA 4.0.
