子し

noun

child (esp. a boy)

Used in classical or formal contexts; in modern Japanese, 子 is usually read こ for 'child'.

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは「子し」を「し」と読よんで男おとこの子こを指さすことがある。

  In old texts, 子 is sometimes read し and refers to a boy.

noun

viscount

Abbreviation of 子爵 (ししゃく). Used in historical or peerage contexts.

See also: 子爵

• 彼かれの先せん祖ぞは子しだったと聞きいた。

  I heard his ancestor was a viscount.

noun

master; founder of a school of thought (esp. Confucius)

Honorific title for great thinkers, especially Confucius (孔子). Also used for founders of philosophical schools.

• 孔こう子しは「子し」と尊そん称しょうされる。

  Confucius is honorifically called 子.

noun

masters and philosophers (category of Chinese classical literature)

Refers to the 'masters' category in Chinese classics, as in 諸子百家 (the Hundred Schools of Thought).

See also: 諸子百家

• 諸しょ子し百ひゃっ家かの「子し」は思し想そう家かを意い味みする。

  The 子 in 諸子百家 means thinkers or philosophers.

pronoun

you (archaic, to equals)

Archaic second-person pronoun used among equals. Not used in modern Japanese.

• 漢かん文ぶんでは「子し」を二に人にん称しょうとして使つかうことがある。

  In classical Chinese texts, 子 is sometimes used as a second-person pronoun.

noun, used as a suffix

-er (suffix for a person devoted to something)

Noun suffix indicating a person characterized by the preceding word, often with a nuance of spending all their time on it. E.g., 遊び子 (playboy).

• 彼かれは遊あそび子こで、毎まい晩ばんクラブに行いっている。

  He's a playboy and goes to clubs every night.

counter

counter for played stones (go)

Used in the game of Go to count stones played. See also 目 (もく).

See also: 目 (もく)

• この対たい局きょくでは、黒くろが３子し多おおい。

  In this game, Black has three more stones.