Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

君 (きみ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

君きみ

き

み

Common word›JLPTN4›Freq.FrequencyTop 500

Meanings

1

you; buddy; pal

familiar language

Familiar second-person pronoun, often used by males toward equals or juniors. Can sound condescending or intimate depending on context. Not used toward superiors.

君きみ

、

ちょっと

手伝てつだ

っ

て

くれ

ない

？

Hey, can you help me out a bit?

君きみの意い見けんを聞きかせてほしい。

I'd like to hear your opinion.

2

monarch; ruler; sovereign; master

Original meaning; now archaic or literary. Refers to a lord, sovereign, or one's master. Still seen in historical contexts or fixed expressions.

古いにしえの君きみに仕つかえる。
Serve an ancient lord.
「君きみ」は昔むかし、主しゅ君くんを指さす言こと葉ばだった。
In the past, 'kimi' referred to one's lord.

3

polite (teineigo)›obsolete term

Only when written 君

Obsolete polite third-person pronoun, restricted to the kanji 君. Used in classical Japanese to refer to someone respectfully.

君きみは遠とおくへ旅たび立だたれた。
He/She departed on a long journey. (archaic polite)

Usage patterns

君きみのことが好すきだI like you (a common way to confess feelings)
ずっと前まえから君きみのことが好すきだった。
I've liked you for a long time.
君きみに会あいたいI want to see you (often used affectionately)
離はなれていても、君きみに会あいたい。
Even though we're apart, I want to see you.

Expressions

我わが君きみmy lord; my master · you; my dear
背せの君きみhusband (poetic)
君きみの瞳ひとみに乾かん杯ぱいhere's looking at you, kid

Kanji

君mister, you, ruler
公public, prince, official

Related words· 6

主しゅ君くん sense 2
主君 specifically means 'one's lord or master' and is the standard word for this sense, while 君 alone carries this meaning only in archaic or literary use.
お前まえN3sense 1
お前 is blunter and rougher than 君, typically used among close male friends or in confrontation, whereas 君 sounds softer.
貴き様さま sense 1
貴様 is far more aggressive and insulting than 君, used to provoke or belittle rather than just address casually.
あなたN5
あなた is a neutral-to-polite way to say 'you', while 君 is more casual and often used toward close friends, juniors, or romantic partners.

Show 2 more

ユー
君 is a natural Japanese pronoun used toward equals or juniors, whereas ユー sounds foreign or joking rather than genuinely familiar.
あんた
君 is a casual 'you' often used by men toward equals or juniors, whereas あんた can sound blunter and is used by both sexes.

Politeness

あなたpolite 丁寧語N5sense 1
あなた is the polite, gender-neutral way to say 'you', while 君 is familiar and often used by men toward equals or juniors.

Don't confuse with

黄き身み
黄身 (きみ) means 'egg yolk' and is a pure homophone of 君 (きみ) 'you', distinguished only by context and kanji.

Word family· 19

君きみたち
you (plural); you all
君きみが代よ
imperial reign; the emperor's era · Kimigayo; Japanese national anthem
姫ひめ君ぎみ
daughter of a high-ranking person; lord's daughter
若

Written forms

君きみUsage60%
Standard kanji for the pronoun 'you' and the archaic noun senses.
きみUsage37%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, especially when the pronoun is used without emphasis on the kanji.
キミUsage3%
search-only kana form
公きみUsage<1%

Etymology

Originally a noun meaning 'lord' or 'sovereign'. The shift to a second-person pronoun likely came from respectful address toward superiors, later generalized to familiar 'you'.

わか

君ぎみ

young lord; young prince

大おお君きみ

emperor; sovereign · prince; princess; royal offspring

Show 9 more

君きみら
you guys; you lot; you all
女め君ぎみ
(another's) daughter · (another's) wife
妹いもうと君ぎみ
(younger) sister (honorific)
姉あね君ぎみ
elder sister (honorific)
家いえ君ぎみ
head of the house; master of the household
弟おとうと君ぎみ
younger brother (polite, archaic)
母はは君ぎみ
mother (honorific); your/his/her mother
辻つじ君ぎみ
streetwalker; prostitute
君きみ影かげ草そう
lily of the valley

See all 19 in Explore →

rarely-used kanji form

Rarely used kanji form.