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父上 (ちちうえ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
father (honorific)
honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)
A respectful, somewhat formal term for one's own father, used especially in samurai or historical contexts. In modern Japanese, it sounds old-fashioned or literary; お父さん is the usual everyday term.
Similar words お 父とう さん The standard, everyday respectful term for one's own father or someone else's father. 父上 is much more formal and old-fashioned.
父ちち The humble term used when referring to one's own father in formal or out-group situations. 父上 is honorific, not humble.
Etymology Compound of 父 (chichi, 'father') and 上 (ue, 'above'), an honorific suffix. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a pattern of respectful address using 上.
、
武ぶ
士し
の
子こ
が
「
父ちち
上うえ
」
と
呼よ
ぶ
場ば
面めん
が
よく
ある
。
In period dramas, there are often scenes where a samurai's child calls their father 'chichiue'.
