君
kimi[kʲimʲi]
The Japanese phrase for "you (informal)" is 君 (kimi).
The pronoun 君 is an intimate way to say "you" that is often used among friends or when addressing someone younger. It is most commonly used by superiors, such as teachers or older bosses, when addressing subordinates and is also used between close male friends.
Which one should you use?
While 君 is used by superiors or friends, the term お前 is another informal way to say "you" that is fairly casual but is considered blunt and can be perceived as rude or confrontational.
How do you pronounce it?
kimi
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 君 when addressing a stranger or someone of higher social status, as it can sound condescending or overly familiar.
Did you know?
- The word 君 can be traced back to an ancient term for a 'king' or a sovereign ruler.
- When 君 is attached to a person's name as a suffix, it is often used for boys or young men, but can also be used for girls in certain professional settings.
- In modern Japanese, the most natural way to say 'you' is often to avoid pronouns entirely and use the person's name followed by a suffix like さん.
Examples in context
- 君の考えを聞かせて。kimi no kangae o kikasete.Let me hear your thoughts.
- 君、何してるの？kimi, nani shiteru no?Hey, what are you doing?
- 君ならできるよ。kimi nara dekiru yo.You can do it.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie.
- 陽葵 Himari君はこの映画が好き？Kimi wa kono eiga ga suki?Do you like this movie?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、すごく面白いよ。Un, sugoku omoshiroi yo.Yeah, it's really interesting.
- 陽葵 Himari私もそう思うな。Watashi mo sou omou na.I think so too.
- 陽太 Yotaもう一度見たいね。Mou ichido mitai ne.I want to see it again.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 君, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 君, CC BY-SA 4.0.
