also: あそ · ごけい
you (to a male, archaic polite)
Archaic polite second-person pronoun used for a male addressee, often in familiar or respectful contexts. Not used in modern Japanese.
In an old letter it was written, 'As for you, my dear brother...'
Archaic kanji spelling; the reading あせ is the most common for this form.
Alternate archaic reading; less common than あせ.
Sino-Japanese reading; rare and literary.
The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 吾 (I/my) and 兄 (elder brother) suggest a respectful or familiar address toward a male, possibly originating from a term for an elder brother.