What does 君 mean in Japanese?
君 means “you, lord, familiar suffix” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 君 (you), 君たち (you all), and 君主 (monarch).
For learners, the key is to study 君 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: クン (kun)
Kun’yomi: きみ (kimi)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 君 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
君 is not limited to one English translation. In 君 (きみ), it means you; in 君たち (きみたち), it points to you all; and in 君主 (くんしゅ), it is used for monarch. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 君（きみ / kimi） — you
- 君たち（きみたち / kimitachi） — you all
- 君主（くんしゅ / kunshu） — monarch
- 諸君（しょくん / shokun） — ladies and gentlemen; you all
- 山田君（やまだくん / yamadakun） — Yamada-kun
- 国君（こっくん / kokkun） — ruler of a country
Example Sentences
-
君の名前を教えてください。
きみのなまえをおしえてください。 / Kimi no namae o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me your name.
-
君たちはここで待ってください。
きみたちはここでまってください。 / Kimitachi wa koko de matte kudasai.
You all, please wait here.
-
昔の国には君主がいました。
むかしのくににはくんしゅがいました。 / Mukashi no kuni ni wa kunshu ga imashita.
Countries in the past had monarchs.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 君 (きみ / kimi) because it keeps the core meaning of 君 clear. Then add 君たち and 君主 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 君 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
君 means “you, lord, familiar suffix” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 君, 君たち, and 君主.