乃だい公こう

also: おれ

だ

い

こ

う

Meanings

pronoun

I; me

male term, language, or namedated term

Dated, rough, arrogant male first-person pronoun. Used to assert dominance or in a self-important manner. Not used in modern polite conversation.

乃だい公こうが相あい手てになってやろう。
I'll take you on.
乃だい公こうの言いうことを聞きけ。
Listen to what I say.

Written forms

乃公Usage100%
- だいこう
  Standard kanji form for this dated male pronoun.
- おれ
  gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
おれ
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Gikun reading; the kanji 乃公 is read as おれ in some contexts, but this is a non-standard reading.

Kanji

乃from, possessive particle, whereupon
公public, prince, official

Similar words

俺おれ
俺 is a common casual male first-person pronoun, while 乃公 is dated and carries a rough, arrogant tone.
我わが輩はい
我輩 is also an old-fashioned, self-important male pronoun, but 乃公 is even more rough and confrontational.

Etymology

The kanji 乃 (archaic possessive or emphatic particle) and 公 (lord, prince) combine to form a self-aggrandizing pronoun. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it reflects an old, arrogant male speech pattern.